Adaptive paging techniques for extended coverage-capable devices

ABSTRACT

Adaptive paging techniques for EC-capable devices are described. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise at least one memory and logic for an evolved node B (eNB), at least a portion of the logic comprised in hardware coupled to the at least one memory, the logic to receive an S1 paging message comprising a user equipment (UE) identifier (ID) associated with a UE and an extended coverage (EC) capability indicator indicating that the UE is EC-capable and page the UE using an EC paging sequence based on receipt of the S1 paging message, the EC paging sequence to comprise a series of transmissions of a radio resource control (RRC) paging message, the logic to truncate the EC paging sequence based on a determination that the UE has responded to RRC paging. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

RELATED CASE

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/109,501, filed Jan. 29, 2015, the entirety of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments herein generally relate to communications between devices inbroadband wireless communications networks.

BACKGROUND

For 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) 3GPP Release 13, a workitem has been agreed upon to introduce a new UE category featuring evenlower capabilities (and thus, presumably, lower associated costs) thatthose associated with the Category 0 added in Release 12. In addition,the work item aims to introduce an Extended Coverage (EC) feature,according to which the E-UTRAN link budget may be increased by up to 15dB in order to enable communications with UEs in locations—such as theinner recesses of large buildings, for example—at which coverage wouldnot otherwise be available.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a first operating environment.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a first communications flow.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a second communications flow.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a second operating environment.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a third communications flow.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a fourth communications flow.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a fifth communications flow.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a first logic flow.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a second logic flow.

FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a third logic flow.

FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of a storage medium.

FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of a device.

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of a wireless network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments may be generally directed to adaptive pagingtechniques for EC-capable devices. In one embodiment, for example, anapparatus may comprise at least one memory and logic for an evolved nodeB (eNB), at least a portion of the logic comprised in hardware coupledto the at least one memory, the logic to receive an S1 paging messagecomprising a user equipment (UE) identifier (ID) associated with a UEand an extended coverage (EC) capability indicator indicating that theUE is EC-capable and page the UE using an EC paging sequence based onreceipt of the S1 paging message, the EC paging sequence to comprise aseries of transmissions of a radio resource control (RRC) pagingmessage, the logic to truncate the EC paging sequence based on adetermination that the UE has responded to RRC paging. Other embodimentsare described and claimed.

Various embodiments may comprise one or more elements. An element maycomprise any structure arranged to perform certain operations. Eachelement may be implemented as hardware, software, or any combinationthereof, as desired for a given set of design parameters or performanceconstraints. Although an embodiment may be described with a limitednumber of elements in a certain topology by way of example, theembodiment may include more or less elements in alternate topologies asdesired for a given implementation. It is worthy to note that anyreference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances ofthe phrases “in one embodiment,” “in some embodiments,” and “in variousembodiments” in various places in the specification are not necessarilyall referring to the same embodiment.

The techniques disclosed herein may involve transmission of data overone or more wireless connections using one or more wireless mobilebroadband technologies. For example, various embodiments may involvetransmissions over one or more wireless connections according to one ormore 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), 3GPP Long Term Evolution(LTE), and/or 3GPP LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) technologies and/or standards,including their predecessors, revisions, progeny, and/or variants.Various embodiments may additionally or alternatively involvetransmissions according to one or more Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM)/Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE),Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS)/High Speed PacketAccess (HSPA), and/or GSM with General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)system (GSM/GPRS) technologies and/or standards, including theirpredecessors, revisions, progeny, and/or variants.

Examples of wireless mobile broadband technologies and/or standards mayalso include, without limitation, any of the Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 wireless broadband standards such asIEEE 802.16m and/or 802.16p, International Mobile TelecommunicationsAdvanced (IMT-ADV), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access(WiMAX) and/or WiMAX II, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 2000(e.g., CDMA2000 1×RTT, CDMA2000 EV-DO, CDMA EV-DV, and so forth), HighPerformance Radio Metropolitan Area Network (HIPERMAN), WirelessBroadband (WiBro), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High SpeedOrthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) Packet Access (HSOPA),High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) technologies and/or standards,including their predecessors, revisions, progeny, and/or variants.

Some embodiments may additionally or alternatively involve wirelesscommunications according to other wireless communications technologiesand/or standards. Examples of other wireless communications technologiesand/or standards that may be used in various embodiments may include,without limitation, other IEEE wireless communication standards such asthe IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n,IEEE 802.11u, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ad, IEEE 802.11af, and/or IEEE802.11ah standards, High-Efficiency Wi-Fi standards developed by theIEEE 802.11 High Efficiency WLAN (HEW) Study Group, Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA)wireless communication standards such as Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-FiDirect Services, Wireless Gigabit (WiGig), WiGig Display Extension(WDE), WiGig Bus Extension (WBE), WiGig Serial Extension (WSE) standardsand/or standards developed by the WFA Neighbor Awareness Networking(NAN) Task Group, machine-type communications (MTC) standards such asthose embodied in 3GPP Technical Report (TR) 23.887, 3GPP TechnicalSpecification (TS) 22.368, and/or 3GPP TS 23.682, and/or near-fieldcommunication (NFC) standards such as standards developed by the NFCForum, including any predecessors, revisions, progeny, and/or variantsof any of the above. The embodiments are not limited to these examples.

In addition to transmission over one or more wireless connections, thetechniques disclosed herein may involve transmission of content over oneor more wired connections through one or more wired communicationsmedia. Examples of wired communications media may include a wire, cable,metal leads, printed circuit board (PCB), backplane, switch fabric,semiconductor material, twisted-pair wire, co-axial cable, fiber optics,and so forth. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an operating environment 100 that maybe representative of various embodiments. In operating environment 100,an evolved node B (eNB) 102 serves a cell 103. User equipment (UE) 104is located within cell 103, and is provided with wireless connectivityby eNB 102. A mobility management entity (MME) 106 is responsible formanaging paging procedures in a tracking area that includes the cell 103served by eNB 102, as well as a second cell (not pictured) that isserved by an eNB 108. In various embodiments, MME 106 may be capable ofexchanging communications with eNBs 102 and 108 over respective S1-MMEinterface connections with eNBs 102 and 108. In various embodiments,eNBs 102 and 108 may be capable of exchanging communications with eachother over an X2 interface connection. The embodiments are not limitedin this context.

In some embodiments, UE 104 may operate with limited receptioncapabilities, limited transmission capabilities, limited data ratecapabilities, and/or other types of limited capabilities. In varioussuch embodiments, UE 104 may operate as a defined type ofreduced-capability UE. In various embodiments, for example, UE 104 mayoperate as a UE of the reduced-capability Category 0 (Cat-0) type thatwas introduced in 3GPP Release 12, or of the category featuringfurther-reduced capabilities—referred to herein as Category M(Cat-M)—that is currently under discussion for incorporation into 3GPPRelease 13. The term “limited-capability type (LCT) UE” is employedherein to denote a UE that operates with limited capabilities, such as aUE that operates as a Cat-0 or Cat-M UE. It is worthy of note that invarious embodiments, an LCT UE may comprise a UE that selects to operatein an LCT mode—such as a Cat-0 or Cat-M mode—even though it is capableof operating in one or more modes that do not impose the capabilitylimitations associated with that LCT mode. For example, in someembodiments, UE 104 may operate as a Cat-0 or Cat-M UE despite beingcapable of operating as a Category 6 (Cat-6) UE. The embodiments are notlimited to this example.

In operating environment 100, if UE 104 is an LCT UE, it may bedesirable that notification of this fact be provided to radio accessnetwork (RAN) devices that may attempt to communicate with UE 104, sothat such devices can take the capability limitations of UE 104 intoaccount in conjunction with attempting such communications. For example,if UE 104 is operating as a Cat-0 UE, it may be desirable that eNB 102be aware of this fact so that it may consider compensating for UE 104'slimited reception capabilities by using a more reliablemodulation-and-coding scheme (MCS) or higher transmission power whentransmitting paging messages to UE 104. The embodiments are not limitedto this example.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a communications flow 200 that may berepresentative of a series of communications that may be exchanged amongeNB 102, UE 104, MME 106, and eNB 108 of FIG. 1 in various embodimentsin which UE 104 is an LCT UE. More particularly, communications flow 200may be representative of a series of communications that may beexchanged in various embodiments in which UE 104 operates as a Cat-0 UEand this fact is made known to eNBs 102 and 108 in conjunction withpaging operations.

As shown in FIG. 2, UE 104 may enter a connected mode at 202. In variousembodiments, entering the connected mode may involve entering anRRC_CONNECTED state. At 204, UE 104 may transmit a radio resourcecontrol (RRC) UECapabilityInformation message to eNB 102. In someembodiments, UE 104 may include a Category 0 indicator in the RRCUECapabilityInformation message in order to notify eNB 102 that UE 104is operating as a Cat-0 UE. In various embodiments, UE 104 may includethe Category 0 indicator within a UE-RadioPagingInfo information element(IE) of the RRC UECapabilityInformation message. At 206, eNB 102 maysend an S1 UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message to MME 106. In variousembodiments, eNB 102 may include an RRC UERadioPagingInformation messagein the S1 UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message, and the RRCUERadioPagingInformation message may comprise an indication that UE 104is operating as a Cat-0 UE. In various embodiments, the RRCUERadioPagingInformation message may comprise an inter-node RRC message.In some embodiments, the indication that UE 104 is operating as a Cat-0UE may be comprised in a UE-RadioPagingInfo IE of the RRCUERadioPagingInformation message. In various embodiments, the RRCUERadioPagingInformation message may be comprised within a UE RadioCapability for Paging IE of the S1 UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATIONmessage. In various embodiments, MME 106 may store the information inthe RRC UERadioPagingInformation message within the UE context for UE104.

At 208, UE 104 may enter an idle mode. In various embodiments, enteringthe idle mode may involve transitioning from an RRC_CONNECTED state toan RRC_IDLE state. At 210 and 214, respectively, MME 106 may send S1PAGING messages to eNBs 102 and 108 in order to instruct them to page UE104. In some embodiments, MME 106 may include a UE identifier (ID) forUE 104 within the S1 PAGING messages. In various embodiments, the UE IDfor UE 104 may be contained within UE Paging Identity IEs of the S1PAGING messages. In various embodiments, MME 106 may include RRCUERadioPagingInformation messages in the S1 PAGING messages, and the RRCUERadioPagingInformation messages may comprise indications that UE 104is operating as a Cat-0 UE. In various embodiments, the indications thatUE 104 is operating as a Cat-0 UE may be comprised in UE-RadioPagingInfoIEs of the RRC UERadioPagingInformation messages. In some embodiments,the RRC UERadioPagingInformation messages may be comprised within UERadio Capability for Paging IEs of the S1 PAGING messages.

At 212 and 216, respectively, eNBs 102 and 108 may transmit RRC Pagingmessages in order to page UE 104. In various embodiments, the RRC Pagingmessages may comprise the UE ID for UE 104. In various embodiments, theUE ID for UE 104 may be comprised within PagingUE-Identity IEs of theRRC Paging messages. In various embodiments, having been notified—viathe S1 PAGING messages that they received from MME 106 at 210 and 214,respectively—that UE 104 is operating as a Cat-0 UE, eNBs 102 and 108may take this fact into account in conjunction with transmission of theRRC Paging messages that they transmit at 212 and 216, respectively. Forexample, in some embodiments, one or both of eNBs 102 and 108 may use amore reliable MCS and/or higher transmission power when transmitting itsRRC Paging message to UE 104. The embodiments are not limited to theseexamples.

Returning to FIG. 1, in operating environment 100, UE 104 is located ata position near the cell edge of cell 103. In various embodiments, atthis position, UE 104 may be unable to reliably receive transmissionsfrom eNB 102 according to standard procedures. In various embodiments,factors contributing to UE 104's inability to reliably receivetransmissions at this position may include its remoteness from eNB 102,attenuation caused by buildings and other structures located between thetwo devices, and/or other environmental factors. In various embodimentsin which UE 104 is an LCT UE possessing limited reception capabilities,its reception capability limitations may also contribute to itsinability to reliably receive transmissions from eNB 102 at thisposition according to standard procedures. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

In some embodiments, in order to enable the provision of reliableservice in circumstances such as these, eNB 102 may implement extendedcoverage (EC) procedures. In various embodiments, such EC procedures maygenerally involve the use of techniques designed to facilitate theprovision of reliable coverage/service to UEs positioned in locations atwhich they are unable to reliably receive transmissions according tostandard procedures. In various embodiments, the implementation of ECprocedures may enable the provision of service to LCT UEs positioned inlocations at which their reception capability limitations wouldotherwise render them unable to obtain reliable service. It is to beappreciated, however, that in various embodiments, the use of ECprocedures may not be limited to communications with LCT UEs, and ECprocedures may thus be implemented to the benefit of non-LCT UEs aswell. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

Hereinafter, with respect to a given UE in a given cell, the term “ECregion” is employed to collectively denote the positions within the cellat which the UE cannot be reliably served according to standardprocedures. The term “normal coverage (NC) region” is employedhereinafter to collectively denote the positions that are not in the ECregion, which comprise the positions at which the UE can be reliablyserved according to standard procedures. In the example of FIG. 1, if UE104 cannot be provided with reliable service at its position within cell103 using standard procedures, then that position is comprised in the ECregion of cell 103 with respect to UE 104.

It is worthy of note that—with respect to any given cell such as cell103 —the composition of the EC region may vary among UEs, such that aposition that is located within the EC region with respect to one UE maybe located in the NC region with respect to another UE. It is alsoworthy of note that whether a given point is located in the EC regionwith respect to a given UE may depend on multiple factors, which may ormay not include the remoteness of that point from the eNB that servesthe cell. For example, a point that is relatively close to the center ofcell 103 may nevertheless be comprised in the EC region with respect toUE 104 if that point is located deep within the inner recesses of abuilding. The embodiments are not limited to this example.

In some embodiments, a given UE in a given cell may need to operate inan EC mode in order to make use of coverage enhancements that may beprovided via EC procedures in that cell. The term “EC-capable UE” isemployed hereinafter to denote a UE that is configured with thecapability to operate in such an EC mode. In various embodiments, ECmode capabilities/operations may be configured independently from LCTmode capabilities/operations, such that a given EC-capable UE may or maynot be an LCT UE, and a given LCT UE may or may not be EC-capable. Invarious other embodiments, EC mode capabilities/operations and LCT modecapabilities/operations may be configured jointly, such that any UEcapable of operating in an LCT mode will also be capable of operating inan EC mode, and vice-versa. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

In various embodiments, an LCT UE that is EC-capable may use a samemessage to notify other RAN devices both of the fact that it is an LCTUE and of the fact that it is EC-capable. For example, in someembodiments in which UE 104 operates as a Cat-0 UE and is EC-capable, itmay include both a Category 0 indicator and an EC capability indicatorwithin a message that it sends to eNB 102, such as the RRCUECapabilityInformation message that it sends at 204 in communicationsflow 200 of FIG. 2. In various embodiments, a given eNB may beconfigured to consider whether a given UE is EC-capable in conjunctionwith performing a paging procedure to page that UE. For example, eNB 102may be configured to determine whether UE 104 is EC-capable based oncapability information it receives from UE 104, and may take the resultof this determination into account in conjunction with performing apaging procedure to page UE 104.

In various embodiments, eNB 102 may be configured with the capability touse an EC paging procedure to page EC-capable UEs. In variousembodiments, according to the EC paging procedure, eNB 102 mayrepeatedly transmit paging messages to an EC-capable UE over the courseof an EC paging sequence. FIG. 3 illustrates an example of acommunications flow 300 that may be representative of such an EC pagingprocedure according to some embodiments. In communications flow 300, eNB102 repeatedly transmits RRC Paging messages to UE 104 —which is assumedto be have been determined as being EC-capable for the purposes of thisexample—over the course of an EC paging sequence 302, which comprises atotal of ten paging message transmissions 304-1 to 304-10. It is to beappreciated that in various embodiments, a given EC paging sequence maycomprise a greater or lesser number of paging transmissions than the tencomprised in EC paging sequence 302, and the embodiments are not limitedto this example.

Returning to FIG. 1, in various embodiments, eNB 102 may be configurableto use an EC paging procedure to page any UE that it determines to beEC-capable. In various embodiments, use of the EC paging procedure mayenable successful paging of an EC-capable UE when it is located in theEC region and unable to be successfully paged via standard pagingprocedures. However, if the EC-capable UE is located in the NC region,the use of EC paging procedures may result in the transmission of asignificant number of unnecessary paging messages. For example, inreference to communications flow 300 of FIG. 3, if UE 104 successfullyreceives the initial RRC Paging message transmission at 304-1, then thenine additional RRC Paging messages transmitted at 304-2 to 304-10 maybe unnecessary. Thus, configuring eNB 102 to always use the EC pagingprocedure when paging EC-capable UEs—to assume, in effect, thatEC-capable UEs are always located in the EC region—may result insignificant waste of radio resources.

Disclosed herein are adaptive paging techniques for EC-capable devices,which may enable reduction of radio resource waste associated with thepaging of EC-capable UEs. According to some such techniques, an eNB suchas eNB 102 may terminate an EC paging sequence following a determinationthat a response has been received from an EC-capable UE being paged. Invarious embodiments, before initiating an EC paging sequence to page anEC-capable UE, an eNB may perform a short paging sequence comprisingtransmission of a small number of paging messages. In various suchembodiments, the eNB may forgo performance of an EC paging sequencefollowing a determination that the EC-capable UE has responded to apaging message transmitted during the short paging sequence. In variousembodiments, use of the EC paging sequence may be limited to a subset ofthe cells comprised in a tracking area in which the EC-capable UE isregistered. In some such embodiments, this subset may comprise one ormore cells in which the EC-capable UE was last known to be located andoperating in the EC mode. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an operating environment 400 that maybe representative of various embodiments. In operating environment 400,UE 104 may send a capability information message 410 to eNB 102. Invarious embodiments, UE 104 may send capability information message 410to eNB 102 while UE 104 is operating in an RRC_CONNECTED state. Invarious embodiments, capability information message 410 may generallycomprise a message that UE 104 uses to provide information regarding itsradio access capabilities. In some embodiments, capability informationmessage 410 may comprise an RRC message, such as an RRCUECapabilityInformation message. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

In various embodiments, UE 104 may include EC capability information 412within capability information message 410. In various embodiments, ECcapability information 412 may generally comprise information indicatingwhether UE 104 is an EC-capable UE. In various embodiments, in order toprovide notification that it is EC-capable, UE 104 may include—withincapability information message 410 —EC capability information 412 thatcomprises an EC capability indicator. In some embodiments in whichcapability information message 410 comprises an RRCUECapabilityInformation message, UE 104 may include EC capabilityinformation 412 within a UE-RadioPagingInfo IE of that RRCUECapabilityInformation message. In various other embodiments in whichcapability information message 410 comprises an RRCUECapabilityInformation message, UE 104 may include EC capabilityinformation 412 within a different IE of that RRCUECapabilityInformation message, such as a newly-defined IE designatedfor use to convey EC capability information 412. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

In various embodiments, UE 104 may also include LCT information 414within capability information message 410. In various embodiments, LCTinformation 414 may generally comprise information indicating whether UE104 is operating in an LCT mode. For example, in some embodiments, LCTinformation 414 may indicate whether UE 104 is operating as a Cat-0 orCat-M UE. In various embodiments in which capability information message410 comprises an RRC UECapabilityInformation message, UE 104 may includeLCT information 414 within a UE-RadioPagingInfo IE of that RRCUECapabilityInformation message. For example, in various embodiments inwhich capability information message 410 comprises an RRCUECapabilityInformation message and UE 104 operates as a Cat-0 or Cat-MUE, LCT information 414 may comprise a Category 0 or Category Mindicator that UE 104 includes within a UE-RadioPagingInfo IE of thatRRC UECapabilityInformation message. In various other embodiments inwhich capability information message 410 comprises an RRCUECapabilityInformation message, UE 104 may include some or all of LCTinformation 414 within a different IE of that RRCUECapabilityInformation message. For example, in some embodiments inwhich capability information message 410 comprises an RRCUECapabilityInformation message and UE 104 operates as a Cat-M UE, LCTinformation 414 may comprise a Category M indicator that UE 104 includeswithin a newly-defined IE designated for use to convey a Category Mindicator. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, in order to pass some or all of EC capabilityinformation 412 and LCT information 414 to MME 106, eNB 102 may send acapability information message 416 to MME 106. In various embodiments,capability information message 416 may generally comprise a message thateNB 102 uses to provide MME 106 with information that eNB 102 hasobtained regarding radio access capabilities of UE 104. In variousembodiments, capability information message 416 may comprise an S1message, such as an S1 UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, eNB 102 may include EC capability information 418within capability information message 416. In various embodiments, ECcapability information 418 may generally comprise information indicatingwhether UE 104 is an EC-capable UE. In various embodiments, eNB 102 maycompose EC capability information 418 based on EC capability information412 that it receives from UE 104. In various embodiments, in order toprovide notification that UE 104 is EC-capable, eNB 102 mayinclude—within capability information message 416—EC capabilityinformation 418 that comprises an EC capability indicator. In someembodiments in which capability information message 416 comprises an S1UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message, eNB 102 may include EC capabilityinformation 418 within an IE of an inter-node RRCUERadioPagingInformation message contained in a UE Radio Capability forPaging IE of that S1 UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message. In varioussuch embodiments, eNB 102 may include EC capability information 418within a UE-RadioPagingInfo IE of the inter-node RRCUERadioPagingInformation message. In various other such embodiments, eNB102 may include EC capability information 418 within a different IE ofthe inter-node RRC UERadioPagingInformation message, such as anewly-defined IE designated for use to convey EC capability information418. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, eNB 102 may also include LCT information 420within capability information message 416. In some embodiments, LCTinformation 420 may generally comprise information indicating whether UE104 is operating in an LCT mode. In various embodiments, eNB 102 maycompose LCT information 420 based on LCT information 414 that itreceives from UE 104. In various embodiments, LCT information 420 mayindicate whether UE 104 is operating as a Cat-0 or Cat-M UE. In variousembodiments in which capability information message 416 comprises an S1UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message, eNB 102 may include LCTinformation 420 within one or more IEs of an inter-node RRCUERadioPagingInformation message contained in a UE Radio Capability forPaging IE of that S1 UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message. In some suchembodiments, eNB 102 may include LCT information 420 within aUE-RadioPagingInfo IE of the inter-node RRC UERadioPagingInformationmessage. For example, in various embodiments in which capabilityinformation message 416 comprises an S1 UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATIONmessage and UE 104 operates as a Cat-0 or Cat-M UE, LCT information 420may comprise a Category 0 or Category M indicator that eNB 102 includeswithin a UE-RadioPagingInfo IE of an inter-node RRCUERadioPagingInformation message contained in a UE Radio Capability forPaging IE of that S1 UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message.

In various other embodiments in which capability information message 416comprises an S1 UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message and eNB 102includes LCT information 420 within one or more IEs of an inter-node RRCUERadioPagingInformation message contained in a UE Radio Capability forPaging IE of that S1 UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message, eNB 102 mayinclude some or all of LCT information 420 within an IE other than aRadioPagingInfo IE of the inter-node RRC UERadioPagingInformationmessage. For example, in various embodiments in which capabilityinformation message 416 comprises an S1 UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATIONmessage and UE 104 operates as a Cat-M UE, LCT information 420 maycomprise a Category M indicator that eNB 102 includes within anewly-defined IE designated for use to convey a Category M indicatorwithin an inter-node RRC UERadioPagingInformation message. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, following receipt of capability information message416 from eNB 102, MME 106 may store information comprised in capabilityinformation message 416 within a UE context for UE 104. In variousembodiments, for example, MME 106 may store EC capability information418 and LCT information 420 within the UE context for UE 104. In variousembodiments, at some point in time following its transmission ofcapability information message 410, UE 104 may enter an idle mode, suchas an RRC_IDLE state. In various embodiments, while UE 104 is operatingin the idle mode, MME 106 may determine that UE 104 is to be paged. Insome embodiments, based on such a determination, MME 106 may initiateone or more S1 paging procedures in order to instruct one or morerespective eNBs to page UE 104. In various embodiments, MME 106 mayinitiate a respective S1 paging procedure for each eNB in a currenttracking area of UE 104. For example, in reference to operatingenvironment 100 of FIG. 1, if the current tracking area of UE 104comprises eNBs 102 and 108, then MME 106 may initiate respective S1paging procedures in order to instruct eNBs 102 and 108 to page UE 104.The embodiments are not limited to this example.

In various embodiments, in order to initiate an S1 paging procedure toinstruct eNB 102 to page UE 104, MME 106 may send an S1 paging message422 to eNB 102. In various embodiments, S1 paging message 422 maycomprise an S1 PAGING message. In some embodiments, MME 106 may includeEC capability information 424 within S1 paging message 422. In variousembodiments, EC capability information 424 may generally compriseinformation indicating whether UE 104 is an EC-capable UE. In variousembodiments, MME 106 may compose EC capability information 424 based onEC capability information 418 that it previously stored in the UEcontext for UE 104. In various embodiments, in order to provide eNB 102with notification that UE 104 is EC-capable, MME 106 may include—withinS1 paging message 422 —EC capability information 424 that comprise an ECcapability indicator. In some embodiments in which S1 paging message 422comprises an S1 PAGING message, MME 106 may include EC capabilityinformation 424 within an IE of an inter-node RRCUERadioPagingInformation message contained in a UE Radio Capability forPaging IE of that S1 PAGING message. In various such embodiments, MME106 may include EC capability information 424 within aUE-RadioPagingInfo IE of the inter-node RRC UERadioPagingInformationmessage. In various other such embodiments, MME 106 may include ECcapability information 424 within a different IE of the inter-node RRCUERadioPagingInformation message, such as a newly-defined IE designatedfor use to convey EC capability information 424. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

In various embodiments, MME 106 may also include LCT information 426within S1 paging message 422. In some embodiments, LCT information 426may generally comprise information indicating whether UE 104 isoperating in an LCT mode. In various embodiments, MME 106 may composeLCT information 426 based on LCT information 420 that it previouslystored in the UE context for UE 104. In various embodiments, LCTinformation 426 may indicate whether UE 104 is operating as a Cat-0 orCat-M UE. In various embodiments in which S1 paging message 422comprises an S1 PAGING message, MME 106 may include LCT information 426within one or more IEs of an inter-node RRC UERadioPagingInformationmessage contained in a UE Radio Capability for Paging IE of that S1PAGING message. In some such embodiments, MME 106 may include LCTinformation 426 within a UE-RadioPagingInfo IE of the inter-node RRCUERadioPagingInformation message. For example, in various embodiments inwhich S1 paging message 422 comprises an S1 PAGING message and UE 104operates as a Cat-0 or Cat-M UE, LCT information 426 may comprise aCategory 0 or Category M indicator that MME 106 includes within aUE-RadioPagingInfo IE of an inter-node RRC UERadioPagingInformationmessage contained in a UE Radio Capability for Paging IE of that S1PAGING message.

In various other embodiments in which S1 paging message 422 comprises anS1 PAGING message and MME 106 includes LCT information 426 within one ormore IEs of an inter-node RRC UERadioPagingInformation message containedin a UE Radio Capability for Paging IE of that S1 PAGING message, MME106 may include some or all of LCT information 426 within an IE otherthan a RadioPagingInfo IE of the inter-node RRC UERadioPagingInformationmessage. For example, in various embodiments in which S1 paging message422 comprises an S1 PAGING message and UE 104 operates as a Cat-M UE,LCT information 426 may comprise a Category M indicator that MME 106includes within a newly-defined IE designated for use to convey aCategory M indicator within an inter-node RRC UERadioPagingInformationmessage. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, following receipt of S1 paging message 422, eNB 102may initiate an RRC paging procedure, according to which it may page UE104. According to the RRC paging procedure in various embodiments, eNB102 may page one or more other UEs in addition to UE 104. According tothe RRC paging procedure in various other embodiments, eNB 102 may pageonly UE 104. In various embodiments, the RRC paging procedure mayinvolve the transmission of one or more RRC paging messages 428. In someembodiments, MME 106 may send on or more additional S1 paging messages422 to one or more respective additional eNBs within the tracking areaof eNB 102. In various embodiments, the one or more additional eNBs mayalso initiate the RRC paging procedure. For example, in variousembodiments, MME 106 may transmit S1 paging messages 422 to both eNB 102and eNB 108, which may both initiate the RRC paging procedure andtransmit one or more RRC paging messages 428. The embodiments are notlimited to this example.

In various embodiments, each RRC paging message 428 may comprise an RRCPaging message. In some embodiments, each RRC paging message 428 mayinclude a respective UE ID 430 for each UE being paged. In variousembodiments in which each RRC paging message 428 is an RRC Pagingmessage, each UE ID 430 comprised in any given RRC paging message 428may be contained in a PagingUE-Identity IE of a respective PagingRecordIE in that RRC paging message 428. In various embodiments in which eNB102 pages only UE 104, each RRC paging message 428 may be an RRC Pagingmessage containing a single PagingRecord IE, in turn containing aPagingUE-Identity IE comprising a UE ID 430 associated with UE 104. Invarious embodiments in which eNB 102 pages a set of multiple UEs thatincludes UE 104, each RRC paging message 428 may be an RRC Pagingmessage containing a set of multiple PagingRecord IEs, each in turncontaining a PagingUE-Identity IE comprising a UE ID 430 associated witha respective one of the multiple UEs. The embodiments are not limited inthis context.

In some embodiments, following a determination that UE 104 is to bepaged, MME 106 may access the UE context for UE 104 and determine thatUE 104 is an EC-capable UE. In various embodiments, based on adetermination that UE 104 is EC-capable, MME 106 may include ECcapability information 424 indicating this fact in S1 paging messages422 that it sends to eNBs 102 and 108. In various such embodiments, inconjunction with determinations—based on received S1 paging messages 422—that UE 104 is to be paged, eNBs 102 and 108 may determine that UE 104is EC-capable based on the indications that MME 106 included within ECcapability information 424. In various embodiments, one or more of MME106, eNB 102, and eNB 108 may implement one or more adaptive pagingtechniques in response to determining that UE 104 is EC-capable. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a communications flow 500 that may berepresentative of the implementation of one or more adaptive pagingtechniques for EC-capable devices according to some embodiments. Moreparticularly, communications flow 500 may be representative of variousembodiments in which a given eNB may be configured to terminate an ECpaging sequence based on a determination that a response has beenreceived from an EC-capable UE being paged. Communications flow 500reflects an assumed example scenario in which UE 104 is camped in idlemode on a cell controlled by eNB 102, and is registered on a TA (or setof TAs) that includes the cell controlled by eNB 102 and a cellcontrolled by eNB 108. The embodiments are not limited to this examplescenario.

As shown in FIG. 5, communications flow 500 may begin at 501, where MME106 may determine that it needs to contact UE 104. For example, MME 106may determine that it needs to contact UE 104 due to the arrival in thecore network of DL data intended for UE 104. At 502 and 504, MME 106 maysend S1 PAGING messages to eNB 102 and eNB 108, respectively, and eachof these S1 PAGING messages may comprise a UE ID of UE 104 and an ECcapability indicator indicating that UE 104 is EC-capable. In responseto the S1 PAGING messages they receive at 502 and 504, eNB 102 and eNB108 may initiate EC paging sequences at 506 and 508, respectively, andthese EC paging sequences may involve repeated transmissions of RRCPaging messages.

At 510, UE 104 may successfully decode an RRC Paging message transmittedby eNB 102. If UE 104 is located in the NC region of the cell served byeNB 102, it may successfully decode the RRC Paging message based solelyon the first RRC Paging transmission that eNB 102 performs afterinitiating the EC paging sequence at 506. If UE 104 is located in the ECregion of the cell served by eNB 102, it may need to receive and combineseveral of the RRC Paging transmissions from eNB 102 before it cansuccessfully decode the RRC Paging message. The numbers of RRC Pagingtransmissions that UE 104 may need to combine in order to successfullydecode the RRC Paging message may vary from embodiment to embodiment,based on the pathloss between UE 104 and eNB 102, for example.

In response to successfully decoding the RRC Paging message sent by eNB102, UE 104 may initiate an RRC connection establishment procedure inorder to establish an RRC connection with eNB 102. In accordance withthe RRC connection establishment procedure, UE 104 may transmit an RRCRRCConnectionRequest message to eNB 102 at 512. In various embodiments,in response to receipt of the RRC RRCConnectionRequest message, eNB 102may terminate at 514 the EC paging sequence that it initiated at 506. Invarious embodiments, eNB 102 may determine to terminate the EC pagingsequence based on a determination that a UE ID—such as an S-TMSIidentity—comprised in the RRC RRCConnectionRequest message matches theUE ID for UE 104. At 516, eNB 102 may transmit an RRC RRCConnectionSetupmessage to UE 104. UE 104 may reply with an RRCRRCConnectionSetupComplete message at 518, at which point theestablishment of the RRC connection between UE 104 and eNB 102 may becomplete. In some embodiments, rather than terminating the EC pagingsequence at 514 in response to receipt of the RRC RRCConnectionRequestmessage at 512, eNB 102 may terminate the EC paging sequence in responseto receipt of the RRC RRCConnectionSetupComplete message at 518.

Following establishment of its RRC connection with UE 104, eNB 102 mayinitiate an S1 connection establishment procedure in order to establishan S1 connection towards MME 106. In accordance with the S1 connectionestablishment procedure, eNB 102 may send an S1 INITIAL UE MESSAGEmessage to MME 106. In various embodiments, the S1 INITIAL UE MESSAGEmessage may contain a Service Request message or Tracking Area Updatemessage sent by UE 104. At 522, MME 106 may send an S1 INITIAL CONTEXTSETUP REQUEST message to eNB 102 in response to the S1 INITIAL UEMESSAGE message received at 520. In various embodiments, rather thanterminating the EC paging sequence at 514 in response to receipt of theRRC RRCConnectionRequest message at 512 or terminating the EC pagingsequence in response to receipt of the RRC RRCConnectionSetupCompletemessage at 518, eNB 102 may terminate the EC paging sequence in responseto receipt of the S1 INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message at 522. Invarious embodiments, eNB 102 may determine to terminate the EC pagingsequence based on a determination that a UE ID—such as an S-TMSIidentity—comprised in the S1 INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST messagematches the UE ID for UE 104.

eNB 108 may not be privy to the communications exchanged among eNB 102,UE 104, and MME 106, and thus may have no way of directly detecting thatUE 104 has responded to paging. As such, eNB 108 may continue performingthe EC paging sequence that it initiated at 508 even after UE 104 hasestablished an RRC connection with eNB 102 and eNB 102 has terminatedthe EC paging sequence that it initiated at 506. Thus, at 524, MME 106may send a newly-defined S1 PAGING STOP message to eNB 108 in order tonotify eNB 108 that UE 104 no longer needs to be paged. At 526, based onreceipt of the S1 PAGING STOP message, eNB 108 may terminate the ECpaging sequence that it initiated at 508. In some embodiments, amodified format may be defined for S1 PAGING messages, according towhich they can be used to indicate that paging should be stopped. Invarious such embodiments, rather than using a newly-defined message tonotify eNB 108 that UE 104 no longer needs to be paged, MME 106 may usesuch a modified-format S1 PAGING message. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

In various embodiments, MME 106 may send the S1 PAGING STOP message at526 in response to receipt of the S1 INITIAL UE MESSAGE from eNB 102 at520. In various other embodiments, eNB 102 may use a newly-definedmessage to notify MME 106 that UE 104 has responded to paging, and MME106 may send the S1 PAGING STOP message to eNB 108 in response toreceipt of that newly-defined message. For example, based on receipt ofthe RRC RRCConnectionRequest message from UE 104 at 512, eNB 102 may notonly terminate the EC paging sequence at 514 but also send anewly-defined UE Paging Response Notification message to MME 106 inorder to notify MME 106 that UE 104 has responded to paging. MME 106 maythen send an S1 PAGING STOP message to eNB 108 in response to receipt ofthe UE Paging Response Notification message, rather than waiting forreceipt of the S1 INITIAL UE MESSAGE at 520. The embodiments are notlimited to this example.

It is worthy of note that in some embodiments, the EC paging sequencesthat eNBs 102 and 108 initiate at 506 and 508, respectively, may involvepaging one or more other UEs in addition to UE 104. In variousembodiments, each RRC Paging message that eNBs 102 and 108 transmit maycontain a respective UE ID for each of multiple UEs being paged. Invarious embodiments, the capability of each paged UE to successfullycombine multiple RRC Paging transmissions and decode the RRC Pagingmessage may hinge on the content of these transmissions remainingconstant. Thus, in various embodiments, eNBs 102 and 108 may not be ableto terminate their respective EC paging sequences at 514 and 526, andinstead may need to continue sending RRC Paging messages, of which UE104 may continue to be specified—via the inclusion of its UE ID withinthose messages—as an intended recipient. The embodiments are not limitedin this context.

In some embodiments, eNBs 102 and 108 may not be able to terminate theirEC paging sequences until responses have been received from each of aset of multiple UEs being paged. In various embodiments, in order toimprove the likelihood that they will be able to terminate EC pagingsequences after small numbers of RRC Paging transmissions, eNBs 102and/or 108 may group UEs that are likely to require similar numbers ofpaging repetitions. In various embodiments, eNBs 102 and/or 108 mayestimate these required numbers of paging repetitions based onrespective signal strength and/or quality measurements obtained whilethe various grouped UEs last operated in connected mode. In variousembodiments, by populating a given paging group with UEs that are likelyto require relatively few paging repetitions, an eNB such as eNB 102and/or eNB 108 may be able to increase the chances that an EC pagingsequence directed to that paging group can be terminated relativelyquickly. In some embodiments, in order to provide additional flexibilitywith respect to paging transmissions, a new paging Radio NetworkTemporary Identifier (P-RNTI) may be defined, in order to enable eNBs tosend multiple paging messages for different levels of repetition. Invarious embodiments, the new P-RNTI may be used only for EC-capable UEs.The embodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a communications flow 600 that may berepresentative of the implementation of one or more adaptive pagingtechniques for EC-capable devices according to various embodiments. Moreparticularly, communications flow 600 may be representative of variousembodiments in which a given eNB may be configured to attempt to reach agiven EC-capable UE using a short paging sequence before paging that UEusing an EC paging sequence. Like communications flow 500 of FIG. 5,communications flow 600 reflects an assumed example scenario in which UE104 is camped in idle mode on a cell controlled by eNB 102, and isregistered on a TA (or set of TAs) that includes the cell controlled byeNB 102 and a cell controlled by eNB 108. The embodiments are notlimited to this example scenario.

As shown in FIG. 6, communications flow 600 may begin at 601, where MME106 may determine that it needs to contact UE 104. For example, MME 106may determine that it needs to contact UE 104 due to the arrival in thecore network of DL data intended for UE 104. At 602 and 604, MME 106 maysend S1 PAGING messages to eNB 102 and eNB 108, respectively, and eachof these S1 PAGING messages may comprise a UE ID of UE 104 and an ECcapability indicator indicating that UE 104 is EC-capable. Each of theseS1 PAGING messages may also comprise a paging strategy parameter for useby the receiving eNBs in conjunction with determining how to conductpaging of UE 104. In some embodiments, the paging strategy parameter maycomprise information generally describing attempts that have alreadybeen made to page UE 104. For example, in various embodiments, thepaging strategy parameter may comprise a paging count value indicating anumber of previous attempts that have been made to page UE 104. Inanother example, in various embodiments, the paging strategy parametermay comprise a bit flag/indicator set to indicate either that noprevious attempts have been made or that at least one previous attempthas been made. In various embodiments, the paging strategy parameter maycomprise information generally describing the extent, if any, to whichpaging repetitions should be performed in conjunction with paging UE104. For example, in some embodiments, the paging strategy parameter maycomprise a bit/flag indicator set to indicate either that pagingrepetitions should be used or that only a single paging messagetransmission should be performed. In another example, in variousembodiments, the paging strategy parameter may comprise a repetitioncount value indicating a number of paging repetitions that should beperformed in paging UE 104. The embodiments are not limited to theseexamples.

In the example depicted in FIG. 6, MME 106 includes a paging count valuein each of the S1 PAGING messages that it transmits to eNBs 102 and 108.In the S1 PAGING messages transmitted at 602 and 604, MME 106 includespaging count values of 0, indicating that those S1 PAGING messagescorrespond to a first attempt to page UE 104. Following receipt of theseS1 PAGING messages, eNB 102 and eNB 108 may determine how to proceedbased on the paging count values comprised in the S1 PAGING messages.Based on determinations that the paging count values are equal to 0—andthus that the S1 PAGING messages correspond to a first attempt to pageUE 104 —eNBs 102 and 108 may initiate short paging sequences at 606 and608, respectively. These short paging sequences may generally involvethe transmission of lesser numbers of paging messages than aretransmitted during EC paging sequences such as those initiated at 506and 508 in communications flow 500 of FIG. 5. In various embodiments,the short paging sequences may involve transmitting only a single pagingmessage. In various such embodiments, the short paging sequences mayinvolve the same operations/procedures as those associated with pagingnon-EC-capable UEs and/or EC-capable UEs located in NC regions of theircells. In some embodiments, the short paging sequences may involvemultiple paging message transmissions, but a small number of suchtransmissions, such as two or three transmissions. In variousembodiments, eNBs 102 and 108 may select the numbers of paging messagetransmissions that are performed during the short paging sequences. Invarious other embodiments, these numbers may be specified within the S1PAGING messages received from MME 106, or may be statically orsemi-statically defined. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

In the example of communications flow 600, the short paging sequencesthat eNBs 102 and 108 initiate at 606 and 608, respectively, involvesingle paging message transmissions. At 610, MME 106 may determine thatthe short paging sequences have not been successful in reaching UE 104.In various embodiments, MME 106 may arrive at this conclusion if it hasnot received notification of a UE response upon expiration of timerT3413 which is started by MME when a paging procedure is initiated. Inresponse to the determination that the short paging sequences have beenunsuccessful, MME 106 may send second S1 PAGING messages to eNBs 102 and108 at 612 and 614, respectively. MME 106 may include a paging countvalue equal to 1 in these S1 PAGING messages, indicating that oneattempt to reach UE 104 has already been performed. Following receipt ofthese S1 PAGING messages, eNBs 102 and 108 may once again determine howto proceed based on the paging count values comprised in the S1 PAGINGmessages. At 616 and 618, based on determinations that the paging countvalues are equal to 1—and thus that the S1 PAGING messages correspond toa second attempt to page UE 104 —eNBs 102 and 108 may initiate EC pagingsequences, which may be the same as or similar to the EC pagingsequences initiated at 506 and 508 in communications flow 500 of FIG. 5.In some embodiments, the approach reflected in communications flow 600—generally, the inclusion of a paging strategy parameter such as apaging count value with the S1 PAGING messages for use by the receivingeNBs in conjunction with determining how to conduct paging of UE 104—may be combined with the approach reflected in communication flow 500of FIG. 5. In various such embodiments, one or both of the EC pagingsequences initiated at 616 and 618 may subsequently be truncated basedon receipt of a response from UE 104. In various other embodiments, theapproach of FIG. 5 may not be combined with that of FIG. 6, and thus theEC paging sequences initiated at 616 and 618 may fully completedregardless of when/whether a response is received from UE 104. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

It is worthy of note that in various embodiments, in order to assisteNBs 102 and 108 with determining how to conduct paging of UE 104, MME106 may include—in addition to or rather than the aforementioned pagingstrategy parameter—one or more other parameters within the S1 PAGINGmessages that it sends to eNBs 102 and 108. For example, in someembodiments, MME 106 may include an EC mode flag within these S1 PAGINGmessages, and the EC mode flag may indicate whether UE 104 is assumed tobe located in the EC region of its cell. In another example, in variousembodiments, MME 106 may include—within S1 PAGING messages that it sendsto eNBs 102 and 108 —reference signal received power (RSRP) and/orreference signal received quality (RSRQ) measurements that UE 104provided when it was operated in connected mode the last time. Theembodiments are not limited to these examples.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a communications flow 700 that may berepresentative of the implementation of one or more adaptive pagingtechniques for EC-capable devices according to various embodiments. Moreparticularly, communications flow 700 may be representative of variousembodiments in which the use of EC paging sequences to page anEC-capable UE is limited to an area smaller than the tracking area ofthat UE, such as to the cell(s) served by a particular eNB within thetracking area. Communications flow 700 reflects an assumed examplescenario in which UE 104 is initially camped in idle mode on a cellcontrolled by eNB 102, and is registered on a TA (or set of TAs) thatincludes the cell controlled by eNB 102 and a cell controlled by eNB108. The embodiments are not limited to this example scenario.

As shown in FIG. 7, communications flow 700 may begin at 702, where UE104 may enter the connected mode. In some embodiments, UE 104 may enterthe connected mode in order to transfer data. In various otherembodiments, UE 104 may enter the connected mode in order to performsignaling such as a tracking area update or an attach procedure. At 704,while operating in the connected mode, UE 104 may transmit an RRCMeasurementReport message to eNB 102. In various embodiments, the RRCMeasurementReport message may comprise RSRP and/or RSRQ measurements forthe serving cell of UE 104, which in this case may be a cell served byeNB 102. In various embodiments, the RRC MeasurementReport message mayadditionally comprise RSRP and/or RSRQ measurements for one or moreneighboring cells, which in this case may include the cell served by eNB108. At 706, UE 104 may transition from the connected mode into an idlemode. It is assumed for the purpose of the remaining discussion that UE104 is in the EC region of a cell served by eNB 102 at the time that ittransitions out of the connected mode and into the idle mode.

At 708, as part of a procedure for transitioning UE 104 into the idlemode, eNB 102 may send an S1 UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE message to MME106. In some embodiments, the S1 UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE message maycontain a cell global identity (CGI) value corresponding to the cellthat most recently served UE 104 while it operated in the connectedmode. In various embodiments, the S1 UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE messagemay additionally or alternatively contain an EC mode (ECM) flag set toindicate whether UE 104 is assumed to be located in the EC region ofthat cell. In various such embodiments, the EC mode flag may be set toindicate that UE 104 is assumed to be located in the EC region if UE 104required EC mode procedures immediately prior to the release of its RRCconnection at 706. In various embodiments, the S1 UE CONTEXT RELEASECOMPLETE message may additionally or alternatively contain a set of oneor more signal measurements. In some such embodiments, the set of signalmeasurements may include signal strength and/or quality measurementsprovided by UE 104 for its most recent serving cell and/or for one ormore neighboring cells, CGIs for any such neighboring cells, and/or theresults of signal strength measurements performed by eNB 102 in order todetermine the quality of its link with UE 104. In various embodiments,the S1 UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE message may additionally oralternatively contain a repetition count value indicating a number ofpaging repetitions that eNB 102 has previously used or recommends to beused in conjunction with paging UE 104. The embodiments are not limitedto these examples.

At 710, MME 106 may determine that it needs to contact UE 104. Forexample, MME 106 may determine that it needs to contact UE 104 due tothe arrival in the core network of DL data intended for UE 104. At 712,MME 106 may send an S1 PAGING message to eNB 108. In this example, MME106 may be configured to limit the use of EC paging procedures to thecell that most recently served UE 104, which in this case may be a cellcontrolled by eNB 102. As such, in the S1 PAGING message that it sendsto eNB 108, MME 106 may set an ECM flag to a value of FALSE. In responseto receipt of this S1 PAGING message and a determination that the ECMflag is set to FALSE, eNB 108 may determine that it is not to initiatean EC paging sequence in order to page UE 104. In various embodiments,eNB 108 may therefore page UE 104 by initiating at 714 a same procedureas that used to page non-EC-capable UEs and/or EC-capable UEs located inNC regions of their cells. In various other embodiments, eNB 108 mayinitiate at 714 a short paging sequence, which may be the same as orsimilar to the short paging sequence that it initiates at 608 incommunications flow 600 of FIG. 6. The embodiments are not limited inthis context.

At 716, MME 106 may send an S1 PAGING message to eNB 102. Havingdetermined—based, for example, on a CGI and an ECM flag comprised in theS1 UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE message received at 708 —that UE 104 isassumed to be located within the EC region of a cell served by eNB 102,MME 106 may set an ECM flag comprised within this S1 PAGING message to avalue of TRUE. In some embodiments, MME 106 may also one or more signalmeasurements within the S1 PAGING message, and the one or more signalmeasurements may include some or all of the one or more signalmeasurements provided by eNB 102 in S1 UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETEmessage. Based on a determination that the ECM flag comprised in that S1PAGING message is set to TRUE, eNB 102 may initiate an EC pagingsequence at 718. In various embodiments, eNB 102 may serve multiplecells. In various such embodiments, eNB 102 may use the EC pagingprocedure in each of the multiple cells that it serves. In various otherembodiments, eNB 102 may use the EC paging procedure only in theparticular cell that served UE 104 at the time that UE 104 transitionedinto the idle mode. In some embodiments, a CGI for the cell that servedUE 104 at the time that UE 104 transitioned into the idle mode may beincluded within the S1 PAGING message sent at 716. In variousembodiments, eNB 102 may select a number of paging repetitions to beperformed during the EC paging sequence based on signal measurementscomprised in that S1 PAGING message.

The approach reflected in communications flow 700 of FIG. 7—according towhich the use of EC paging procedures may generally be targeted/limitedto, for example, the particular cell in which the EC-capable UE was lastknown to be located—may work particularly well in cases where theEC-capable UE tends to remain stationary for extended periods of time,and thus the ECM flag tends to be accurate. In cases in which theEC-capable UE tends to change locations frequently, however, the ECMflag may tend to be unreliable. This may lead to unnecessary pagingrepetitions if an EC-capable UE that is assumed to reside in the ECregion of a cell has moved into the NC region of that cell or anothercell, and/or may lead to difficulty in reaching an EC-capable UE that isassumed to reside in the NC region of a cell but has moved to the ECregion of that cell or another cell.

In order to mitigate these issues, EC-capable UEs may be configured toperform tracking area updates or service request procedures undercertain circumstances. In various embodiments, an EC-capable UE may beconfigured to perform a tracking area update or service requestprocedure if it was in the NC region of a cell when it entered idle modebut has since moved into the EC region of that cell. In variousembodiments, an EC-capable UE may additionally or alternatively beconfigured to perform a tracking area update or service requestprocedure if it was in the EC region of a cell when it entered idle modebut has since moved into the EC region of a different cell. In someembodiments, an EC-capable UE may additionally or alternatively beconfigured to perform a tracking area update or service requestprocedure when it was in the EC region of a cell when it entered idlemode but has since moved into the NC region of that cell or anothercell. In various embodiments, using a tracking area update or servicerequest procedure to notify the network of such an EC-to-NC transitionmay help the network avoid performing unnecessary paging repetitionswhen attempting to reach the UE. However, in various embodiments, it maybe preferable to accept the potential overhead that may be associatedwith such unnecessary paging repetitions in order to avoid the overheadassociated with using tracking area updates or service requestprocedures to notify the network of EC-to-NC transitions. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, UE 104 may comprise an LCT UE of a type that isonly able to communicate over a limited portion of the wireless spectrumutilized by eNBs 102 and 108. For example, in some embodiments, UE 104may operate as a Cat-M UE, and in conjunction with operating in thisfashion, may be limited to using a 1.4 MHz sub-band when communicatingwith eNB 102 or eNB 108. In various embodiments, an indication of UE104's device category and/or associated limitations may be includedwithin S1 PAGING messages sent by MME 106. For example, in variousembodiments in which UE 104 operates as a Cat-M UE, a Category Mindicator may be included within the S1 PAGING messages that MME 106sends in any or all of communications flows 500, 600, and 700 of FIGS.5, 6, and 7, respectively. In various embodiments, the inclusion of theCategory M indicator may enable eNBs 102 and 108 to determine that inpaging UE 104, they should transmit RRC Paging messages over the 1.4 MHzsub-band that UE 104 is capable of using. The embodiments are notlimited to this example.

Operations for the above embodiments may be further described withreference to the following figures and accompanying examples. Some ofthe figures may include a logic flow. Although such figures presentedherein may include a particular logic flow, it can be appreciated thatthe logic flow merely provides an example of how the generalfunctionality as described herein can be implemented. Further, the givenlogic flow does not necessarily have to be executed in the orderpresented unless otherwise indicated. In addition, the given logic flowmay be implemented by a hardware element, a software element executed bya processor, or any combination thereof. The embodiments are not limitedin this context.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a logic flow 800 that may berepresentative of some embodiments. More particularly, logic flow 800may be representative of operations that may be performed in variousembodiments by an eNB such as eNB 102. As shown in FIG. 8, an S1 pagingmessage may be received at 802 that comprises a UE ID associated with aUE. For example, in operating environment 400 of FIG. 4, eNB 102 mayreceive S1 paging message 422 from MME 106, and the received S1 pagingmessage 422 may comprise a UE ID associated with UE 104. At 804, basedon receipt of the S1 paging message and on a determination that the UEis EC-capable, the UE may be paged using an EC paging sequence. Forexample, in operating environment 400 of FIG. 4, eNB 102 may page UE 104using an EC paging sequence based on receipt of S1 paging message 422and a determination that UE 104 is EC-capable. At 806, the EC pagingsequence may be truncated based on a determination that the UE hasresponded to RRC paging. For example, in operating environment 400 ofFIG. 4, eNB 102 may truncate the EC paging sequence based on adetermination that UE 104 has responded to RRC paging within a cellserved by eNB 102 or a cell served by eNB 108. The embodiments are notlimited to these examples.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a logic flow 900 that may berepresentative of some embodiments. More particularly, logic flow 900may be representative of operations that may be performed in variousembodiments by an MME such as MME 106. As shown in FIG. 9, an S1capability information message may be received at 902 that comprises anindication that a UE is EC-capable. For example, in operatingenvironment 400 of FIG. 4, MME 106 may receive capability informationmessage 416 from eNB 102, and the received capability informationmessage 416 may comprise EC capability information 418 indicating thatUE 104 is EC-capable. At 904, an S1 paging message may be sent toinstruct an eNB to use an EC paging sequence to page the UE. Forexample, in operating environment 400 of FIG. 4, MME 106 may send an S1paging message 422 to instruct eNB 108 to use an EC paging sequence topage UE 104. At 906, in response to a determination that the UE hasresponded to paging, an S1 paging stop message may be sent to instructthe eNB to terminate the EC paging sequence. For example, in operatingenvironment 400 of FIG. 4, MME 106 may send an S1 paging stop message,such as the message sent at 524 in communications flow 500 of FIG. 5, inorder to instruct eNB 108 to terminate the EC paging sequence. Theembodiments are not limited to these examples.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a logic flow 1000 that may berepresentative of some embodiments. More particularly, logic flow 1000may be representative of operations that may be performed in variousembodiments by logic circuitry at a UE such as UE 104. As shown in FIG.10, a capability information message comprising an EC capabilityindicator may be sent at 1002 from an EC-capable UE operating in aconnected mode. For example, while UE 104 operates in an RRC_CONNECTEDstate in operating environment 400 of FIG. 4, capability informationmessage 410 may be sent to eNB 102 and may comprise an EC capabilityindicator to indicate that UE 104 is EC-capable. At 1004, the EC-capableUE may be transitioned into an idle mode. For example, in operatingenvironment 400 of FIG. 4, UE 104 may be transitioned into an RRC_IDLEstate. At 1006, in response to a determination that the EC-capable UEhas entered the EC region of a cell since transitioning into the idlemode, a procedure may be triggered to notify a serving eNB of the cellthat the UE is located in the EC region of the cell. For example, inoperating environment 400 of FIG. 4, a Tracking Area Update procedure ora Service Request procedure may be triggered at UE 104 in order tonotify eNB 102 that UE 104 has moved into the EC region of the cellserved by eNB 102. In some embodiments, the UE may have moved from theNC region of the cell to the EC region of the cell. In various otherembodiments, the UE may have moved from the NC or EC region of anothercell to the EC region of the cell. The embodiments are not limited tothese examples.

FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of a storage medium 1100. Storagemedium 1100 may comprise any non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium or machine-readable storage medium, such as an optical, magneticor semiconductor storage medium. In various embodiments, storage medium1100 may comprise an article of manufacture. In some embodiments,storage medium 1100 may store computer-executable instructions, such ascomputer-executable instructions to implement one or more of logic flow800 of FIG. 8, logic flow 900 of FIG. 9, and logic flow 1000 of FIG. 10.Examples of a computer-readable storage medium or machine-readablestorage medium may include any tangible media capable of storingelectronic data, including volatile memory or non-volatile memory,removable or non-removable memory, erasable or non-erasable memory,writeable or re-writeable memory, and so forth. Examples ofcomputer-executable instructions may include any suitable type of code,such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code,static code, dynamic code, object-oriented code, visual code, and thelike. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of a communications device 1200 thatmay implement one or more of eNB 102, UE 104, MME 106, and eNB 108 ofFIGS. 1-7, logic flow 800 of FIG. 8, logic flow 900 of FIG. 9, logicflow 1000 of FIG. 10, and storage medium 1100 of FIG. 11. In variousembodiments, device 1200 may comprise a logic circuit 1228. The logiccircuit 1228 may include physical circuits to perform operationsdescribed for one or more of eNB 102, UE 104, MME 106, and eNB 108 ofFIGS. 1-7, logic flow 800 of FIG. 8, logic flow 900 of FIG. 9, and logicflow 1000 of FIG. 10, for example. As shown in FIG. 12, device 1200 mayinclude a radio interface 1210, baseband circuitry 1220, and computingplatform 1230, although the embodiments are not limited to thisconfiguration.

The device 1200 may implement some or all of the structure and/oroperations for one or more of eNB 102, UE 104, MME 106, and eNB 108 ofFIGS. 1-7, logic flow 800 of FIG. 8, logic flow 900 of FIG. 9, logicflow 1000 of FIG. 10, storage medium 1100 of FIG. 11, and logic circuit1228 in a single computing entity, such as entirely within a singledevice. Alternatively, the device 1200 may distribute portions of thestructure and/or operations for one or more of eNB 102, UE 104, MME 106,and eNB 108 of FIGS. 1-7, logic flow 800 of FIG. 8, logic flow 900 ofFIG. 9, logic flow 1000 of FIG. 10, storage medium 1100 of FIG. 11, andlogic circuit 1228 across multiple computing entities using adistributed system architecture, such as a client-server architecture, a3-tier architecture, an N-tier architecture, a tightly-coupled orclustered architecture, a peer-to-peer architecture, a master-slavearchitecture, a shared database architecture, and other types ofdistributed systems. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In one embodiment, radio interface 1210 may include a component orcombination of components adapted for transmitting and/or receivingsingle-carrier or multi-carrier modulated signals (e.g., includingcomplementary code keying (CCK), orthogonal frequency divisionmultiplexing (OFDM), and/or single-carrier frequency division multipleaccess (SC-FDMA) symbols) although the embodiments are not limited toany specific over-the-air interface or modulation scheme. Radiointerface 1210 may include, for example, a receiver 1212, a frequencysynthesizer 1214, and/or a transmitter 1216. Radio interface 1210 mayinclude bias controls, a crystal oscillator and/or one or more antennas1218-f. In another embodiment, radio interface 1210 may use externalvoltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs), surface acoustic wave filters,intermediate frequency (IF) filters and/or RF filters, as desired. Dueto the variety of potential RF interface designs an expansivedescription thereof is omitted.

Baseband circuitry 1220 may communicate with radio interface 1210 toprocess receive and/or transmit signals and may include, for example, amixer for down-converting received RF signals, an analog-to-digitalconverter 1222 for converting analog signals to digital form, adigital-to-analog converter 1224 for converting digital signals toanalog form, and a mixer for up-converting signals for transmission.Further, baseband circuitry 1220 may include a baseband or physicallayer (PHY) processing circuit 1226 for PHY link layer processing ofrespective receive/transmit signals. Baseband circuitry 1220 mayinclude, for example, a medium access control (MAC) processing circuit1227 for MAC/data link layer processing. Baseband circuitry 1220 mayinclude a memory controller 1232 for communicating with MAC processingcircuit 1227 and/or a computing platform 1230, for example, via one ormore interfaces 1234.

In some embodiments, PHY processing circuit 1226 may include a frameconstruction and/or detection module, in combination with additionalcircuitry such as a buffer memory, to construct and/or deconstructcommunication frames. Alternatively or in addition, MAC processingcircuit 1227 may share processing for certain of these functions orperform these processes independent of PHY processing circuit 1226. Insome embodiments, MAC and PHY processing may be integrated into a singlecircuit.

The computing platform 1230 may provide computing functionality for thedevice 1200. As shown, the computing platform 1230 may include aprocessing component 1240. In addition to, or alternatively of, thebaseband circuitry 1220, the device 1200 may execute processingoperations or logic for one or more of eNB 102, UE 104, MME 106, and eNB108 of FIGS. 1-7, logic flow 800 of FIG. 8, logic flow 900 of FIG. 9,logic flow 1000 of FIG. 10, storage medium 1100 of FIG. 11, and logiccircuit 1228 using the processing component 1240. The processingcomponent 1240 (and/or PHY 1226 and/or MAC 1227) may comprise varioushardware elements, software elements, or a combination of both. Examplesof hardware elements may include devices, logic devices, components,processors, microprocessors, circuits, processor circuits, circuitelements (e.g., transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and soforth), integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits(ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLD), digital signal processors(DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), memory units, logic gates,registers, semiconductor device, chips, microchips, chip sets, and soforth. Examples of software elements may include software components,programs, applications, computer programs, application programs, systemprograms, software development programs, machine programs, operatingsystem software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines,subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces,application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code,computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values,symbols, or any combination thereof. Determining whether an embodimentis implemented using hardware elements and/or software elements may varyin accordance with any number of factors, such as desired computationalrate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input datarates, output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and otherdesign or performance constraints, as desired for a givenimplementation.

The computing platform 1230 may further include other platformcomponents 1250. Other platform components 1250 include common computingelements, such as one or more processors, multi-core processors,co-processors, memory units, chipsets, controllers, peripherals,interfaces, oscillators, timing devices, video cards, audio cards,multimedia input/output (I/O) components (e.g., digital displays), powersupplies, and so forth. Examples of memory units may include withoutlimitation various types of computer readable and machine readablestorage media in the form of one or more higher speed memory units, suchas read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM(DRAM), Double-Data-Rate DRAM (DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), staticRAM (SRAM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, polymermemory such as ferroelectric polymer memory, ovonic memory, phase changeor ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS)memory, magnetic or optical cards, an array of devices such as RedundantArray of Independent Disks (RAID) drives, solid state memory devices(e.g., USB memory, solid state drives (SSD) and any other type ofstorage media suitable for storing information.

Device 1200 may be, for example, an ultra-mobile device, a mobiledevice, a fixed device, a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a mobile computing device, a smart phone, atelephone, a digital telephone, a cellular telephone, user equipment,eBook readers, a handset, a one-way pager, a two-way pager, a messagingdevice, a computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, alaptop computer, a notebook computer, a netbook computer, a handheldcomputer, a tablet computer, a server, a server array or server farm, aweb server, a network server, an Internet server, a work station, amini-computer, a main frame computer, a supercomputer, a networkappliance, a web appliance, a distributed computing system,multiprocessor systems, processor-based systems, consumer electronics,programmable consumer electronics, game devices, display, television,digital television, set top box, wireless access point, base station,node B, subscriber station, mobile subscriber center, radio networkcontroller, router, hub, gateway, bridge, switch, machine, orcombination thereof. Accordingly, functions and/or specificconfigurations of device 1200 described herein, may be included oromitted in various embodiments of device 1200, as suitably desired.

Embodiments of device 1200 may be implemented using single input singleoutput (SISO) architectures. However, certain implementations mayinclude multiple antennas (e.g., antennas 1218-f) for transmissionand/or reception using adaptive antenna techniques for beamforming orspatial division multiple access (SDMA) and/or using MIMO communicationtechniques.

The components and features of device 1200 may be implemented using anycombination of discrete circuitry, application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), logic gates and/or single chip architectures. Further,the features of device 1200 may be implemented using microcontrollers,programmable logic arrays and/or microprocessors or any combination ofthe foregoing where suitably appropriate. It is noted that hardware,firmware and/or software elements may be collectively or individuallyreferred to herein as “logic” or “circuit.”

It should be appreciated that the exemplary device 1200 shown in theblock diagram of FIG. 12 may represent one functionally descriptiveexample of many potential implementations. Accordingly, division,omission or inclusion of block functions depicted in the accompanyingfigures does not infer that the hardware components, circuits, softwareand/or elements for implementing these functions would be necessarily bedivided, omitted, or included in embodiments.

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of a broadband wireless access system1300. As shown in FIG. 13, broadband wireless access system 1300 may bean internet protocol (IP) type network comprising an internet 1310 typenetwork or the like that is capable of supporting mobile wireless accessand/or fixed wireless access to internet 1310. In one or moreembodiments, broadband wireless access system 1300 may comprise any typeof orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based orsingle-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA)-basedwireless network, such as a system compliant with one or more of the3GPP LTE Specifications and/or IEEE 802.16 Standards, and the scope ofthe claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects.

In the exemplary broadband wireless access system 1300, radio accessnetworks (RANs) 1312 and 1318 are capable of coupling with evolved nodeBs (eNBs) 1314 and 1320, respectively, to provide wireless communicationbetween one or more fixed devices 1316 and internet 1310 and/or betweenor one or more mobile devices 1322 and Internet 1310. One example of afixed device 1316 and a mobile device 1322 is device 1200 of FIG. 12,with the fixed device 1316 comprising a stationary version of device1200 and the mobile device 1322 comprising a mobile version of device1200. RANs 1312 and 1318 may implement profiles that are capable ofdefining the mapping of network functions to one or more physicalentities on broadband wireless access system 1300. eNBs 1314 and 1320may comprise radio equipment to provide RF communication with fixeddevice 1316 and/or mobile device 1322, such as described with referenceto device 1200, and may comprise, for example, the PHY and MAC layerequipment in compliance with a 3GPP LTE Specification or an IEEE 802.16Standard. eNBs 1314 and 1320 may further comprise an IP backbone tocouple to Internet 1310 via RANs 1312 and 1318, respectively, althoughthe scope of the claimed subject matter is not limited in theserespects.

Broadband wireless access system 1300 may further comprise a visitedcore network (CN) 1324 and/or a home CN 1326, each of which may becapable of providing one or more network functions including but notlimited to proxy and/or relay type functions, for exampleauthentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) functions, dynamichost configuration protocol (DHCP) functions, or domain name servicecontrols or the like, domain gateways such as public switched telephonenetwork (PSTN) gateways or voice over internet protocol (VoIP) gateways,and/or internet protocol (IP) type server functions, or the like.However, these are merely example of the types of functions that arecapable of being provided by visited CN 1324 and/or home CN 1326, andthe scope of the claimed subject matter is not limited in theserespects. Visited CN 1324 may be referred to as a visited CN in the casewhere visited CN 1324 is not part of the regular service provider offixed device 1316 or mobile device 1322, for example where fixed device1316 or mobile device 1322 is roaming away from its respective home CN1326, or where broadband wireless access system 1300 is part of theregular service provider of fixed device 1316 or mobile device 1322 butwhere broadband wireless access system 1300 may be in another locationor state that is not the main or home location of fixed device 1316 ormobile device 1322. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

Fixed device 1316 may be located anywhere within range of one or both ofeNBs 1314 and 1320, such as in or near a home or business to providehome or business customer broadband access to Internet 1310 via eNBs1314 and 1320 and RANs 1312 and 1318, respectively, and home CN 1326. Itis worthy of note that although fixed device 1316 is generally disposedin a stationary location, it may be moved to different locations asneeded. Mobile device 1322 may be utilized at one or more locations ifmobile device 1322 is within range of one or both of eNBs 1314 and 1320,for example. In accordance with one or more embodiments, operationsupport system (OSS) 1328 may be part of broadband wireless accesssystem 1300 to provide management functions for broadband wirelessaccess system 1300 and to provide interfaces between functional entitiesof broadband wireless access system 1300. Broadband wireless accesssystem 1300 of FIG. 13 is merely one type of wireless network showing acertain number of the components of broadband wireless access system1300, and the scope of the claimed subject matter is not limited inthese respects.

Various embodiments may be implemented using hardware elements, softwareelements, or a combination of both. Examples of hardware elements mayinclude processors, microprocessors, circuits, circuit elements (e.g.,transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and so forth), integratedcircuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmablelogic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmablegate array (FPGA), logic gates, registers, semiconductor device, chips,microchips, chip sets, and so forth. Examples of software may includesoftware components, programs, applications, computer programs,application programs, system programs, machine programs, operatingsystem software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines,subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces,application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code,computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values,symbols, or any combination thereof. Determining whether an embodimentis implemented using hardware elements and/or software elements may varyin accordance with any number of factors, such as desired computationalrate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input datarates, output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and otherdesign or performance constraints.

One or more aspects of at least one embodiment may be implemented byrepresentative instructions stored on a machine-readable medium whichrepresents various logic within the processor, which when read by amachine causes the machine to fabricate logic to perform the techniquesdescribed herein. Such representations, known as “IP cores” may bestored on a tangible, machine readable medium and supplied to variouscustomers or manufacturing facilities to load into the fabricationmachines that actually make the logic or processor. Some embodiments maybe implemented, for example, using a machine-readable medium or articlewhich may store an instruction or a set of instructions that, ifexecuted by a machine, may cause the machine to perform a method and/oroperations in accordance with the embodiments. Such a machine mayinclude, for example, any suitable processing platform, computingplatform, computing device, processing device, computing system,processing system, computer, processor, or the like, and may beimplemented using any suitable combination of hardware and/or software.The machine-readable medium or article may include, for example, anysuitable type of memory unit, memory device, memory article, memorymedium, storage device, storage article, storage medium and/or storageunit, for example, memory, removable or non-removable media, erasable ornon-erasable media, writeable or re-writeable media, digital or analogmedia, hard disk, floppy disk, Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CD-ROM),Compact Disk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW),optical disk, magnetic media, magneto-optical media, removable memorycards or disks, various types of Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), a tape, acassette, or the like. The instructions may include any suitable type ofcode, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executablecode, static code, dynamic code, encrypted code, and the like,implemented using any suitable high-level, low-level, object-oriented,visual, compiled and/or interpreted programming language.

The following examples pertain to further embodiments:

Example 1 is an apparatus, comprising at least one memory, and logic foran evolved node B (eNB), at least a portion of the logic comprised inhardware coupled to the at least one memory, the logic to receive an S1paging message comprising a user equipment (UE) identifier (ID)associated with a UE, page the UE using an extended coverage (EC) pagingsequence based on receipt of the S1 paging message and on adetermination that the UE is EC-capable, the EC paging sequencecomprising a series of transmissions of a radio resource control (RRC)paging message, and truncate the EC paging sequence based on adetermination that the UE has responded to RRC paging.

Example 2 is the apparatus of Example 1, the logic to determine that theUE is EC-capable based on an EC capability indicator comprised in the S1paging message.

Example 3 is the apparatus of Example 1, the logic to page the UE usingthe EC paging sequence based on the receipt of the S1 paging message,the determination that the UE is EC-capable, and a determination that anEC-mode (ECM) flag comprised in the S1 paging message is set to indicatethat the EC paging sequence is to be used to page the UE.

Example 4 is the apparatus of Example 1, the logic to select a number ofpaging repetitions to be comprised in the EC paging sequence based onone or more signal measurements comprised in the S1 paging message.

Example 5 is the apparatus of Example 1, the logic to identify a numberof paging repetitions to be comprised in the EC paging sequence based ona repetition count value comprised in the S1 paging message.

Example 6 is the apparatus of Example 1, the logic to receive a secondS1 paging message comprising a second UE ID associated with a second UE,determine that the second UE is EC-capable based on an EC capabilityindicator comprised in the second S1 paging message, and page the secondUE using a short paging sequence based on receipt of the second S1paging message and on a determination that an EC-mode (ECM) flagcomprised in the second S1 paging message is set to indicate that the ECpaging sequence is not to be used to page the second UE.

Example 7 is the apparatus of Example 6, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of a single RRC paging message.

Example 8 is the apparatus of Example 6, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 9 is the apparatus of Example 1, the logic to use the EC pagingsequence to page a paging group comprising the UE and one or moreadditional UEs, and truncate the EC paging sequence based on thedetermination that the UE has responded to the RRC paging message and ona determination that each of the one or more additional UEs have alsoresponded to RRC paging.

Example 10 is the apparatus of Example 1, the logic to determine thatthe UE has responded to RRC paging in response to receipt of anRRCConnectionRequest message or an RRCConnectionSetupComplete messagefrom the UE.

Example 11 is the apparatus of Example 1, the logic to determine thatthe UE has responded to RRC paging in response to receipt of an S1INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message from a mobility management entity(MME).

Example 12 is the apparatus of Example 1, the logic to determine thatthe UE has responded to RRC paging in response to receipt of an S1PAGING STOP message from a mobility management entity (MME).

Example 13 is the apparatus of Example 1, the logic to page the UE usinga short paging sequence in response to receipt of the S1 paging message,page the UE using the EC paging sequence in response to receipt of asecond S1 paging message and the determination that the UE isEC-capable.

Example 14 is the apparatus of Example 13, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of a single RRC paging message.

Example 15 is the apparatus of Example 13, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 16 is the apparatus of Example 13, the logic to determine thatthe S1 paging message corresponds to an initial attempt to reach the UEbased on an indicator comprised in the S1 paging message, and page theUE using the short paging sequence in response to receipt of the S1paging message and the determination that the S1 paging messagecorresponds to the initial attempt to reach the UE.

Example 17 is the apparatus of Example 16, the indicator to comprise apaging count value.

Example 18 is the apparatus of Example 16, the indicator to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 19 is the apparatus of Example 13, the logic to determine thatthe second S1 paging message corresponds to a repeat attempt to reachthe UE based on an indicator comprised in the second S1 paging message,and page the UE using the EC paging sequence in response to receipt ofthe second S1 paging message and the determination that the second S1paging message corresponds to the repeat attempt to reach the UE.

Example 20 is the apparatus of Example 19, the indicator to comprise apaging count value.

Example 21 is the apparatus of Example 19, the indicator to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 22 is a system, comprising an apparatus according to any ofExamples 1 to 21, and at least one radio frequency (RF) transceiver.

Example 23 is the system of Example 22, comprising at least one RFantenna.

Example 24 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to beingexecuted at a mobility management entity (MME), cause the MME to receivean S1 capability information message comprising an indication that userequipment (UE) is extended coverage (EC)-capable, send an S1 pagingmessage to instruct an evolved node B (eNB) to use an EC paging sequenceto page the UE, and in response to a determination that the UE hasresponded to paging, send an S1 paging stop message to instruct the eNBto terminate the EC paging sequence.

Example 25 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 24, comprising instructions that, in response to beingexecuted at the MME, cause the MME to determine that the UE hasresponded to paging based on receipt of an S1 message from a second eNB.

Example 26 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 25, the S1 message received from the second eNB tocomprise an S1 INITIAL UE MESSAGE message.

Example 27 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 24, the S1 paging message to comprise a UE identifier(ID) for the UE.

Example 28 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 24, the S1 paging message to comprise an EC capabilityindicator to indicate that the UE is EC-capable.

Example 29 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 24, the S1 paging message to comprise a parameterindicating that the EC paging sequence is to be used.

Example 30 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 29, the parameter to comprise a repetition count valueindicating a same number of paging repetitions as are to be comprised inthe EC paging sequence.

Example 31 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 29, the parameter to indicate that the S1 pagingmessage comprises a repeat attempt to reach the UE.

Example 32 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 31, the parameter to comprise a paging count value.

Example 33 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 31, the parameter to comprise a single-bit indicator.

Example 34 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 24, comprising instructions that, in response to beingexecuted at the MME, cause the MME to determine to instruct the eNB touse the EC paging sequence to page the UE in response to a determinationthat the eNB serves a cell in which the UE was last known to be located.

Example 35 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 34, the S1 paging message to comprise a cell globalidentity (CGI) value corresponding to the cell.

Example 36 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 34, the S1 paging message to comprise an EC-mode (ECM)flag that is set to indicate that the EC paging sequence is to be usedto page the UE.

Example 37 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 36, comprising instructions that, in response to beingexecuted at the MME, cause the MME to send a second S1 paging message toinstruct a second eNB to use a short paging sequence to page the UE, thesecond S1 paging message to comprise an EC-mode flag that is set toindicate that the EC paging sequence is not to be used to page the UE.

Example 38 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 24, comprising instructions that, in response to beingexecuted at the MME, cause the MME to instruct the eNB to use a shortpaging sequence to page the UE, and based on a determination that the UEhas not responded to paging during the short paging sequence, send theS1 paging message to instruct the eNB to use the EC paging sequence topage the UE.

Example 39 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 38, the short paging sequence to comprise transmissionof a single RRC paging message.

Example 40 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 38, the short paging sequence to comprise transmissionof two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 41 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 38, comprising instructions that, in response to beingexecuted at the MME, cause the MME to instruct the eNB to use the shortpaging sequence to page the UE by sending an S1 paging messagecomprising a UE identifier (ID) for the UE and a parameter indicatingthat the short paging sequence is to be used.

Example 42 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 41, the parameter to comprise a repetition count valueindicating a same number of paging repetitions as are to be comprised inthe short paging sequence.

Example 43 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 41, the parameter to comprise an indication of aninitial attempt to reach the UE.

Example 44 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 43, the parameter to comprise a paging count value.

Example 45 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 43, the parameter to comprise a single-bit indicator.

Example 46 is a method, comprising sending, by a radio interface ofextended coverage (EC)-capable user equipment (UE) in a connected state,a capability information message comprising an EC capability indicator,transitioning the EC-capable UE into an idle state, and in response to adetermination that the EC-capable UE has entered an EC region of a cellsince transitioning into the idle state, triggering a procedure tonotify a serving evolved node B (eNB) of the cell that the EC-capable UEis located in the EC region of the cell.

Example 47 is the method of Example 46, the capability informationmessage to comprise a radio resource control (RRC)UECapabilityInformation message.

Example 48 is the method of Example 46, the EC-capable UE to comprise alimited-capability type (LCT) UE.

Example 49 is the method of Example 48, the capability informationmessage to comprise the EC capability indicator and LCT information toindicate that the EC-capable UE comprises an LCT UE.

Example 50 is the method of Example 49, the capability informationmessage to comprise a radio resource control (RRC)UECapabilityInformation message, the LCT information to comprise aCategory 0 indicator or a Category M indicator.

Example 51 is the method of Example 46, the procedure to comprise aTracking Area Update procedure.

Example 52 is the method of Example 46, the procedure to comprise aService Request procedure.

Example 53 is the method of Example 46, comprising determining that theEC-capable UE has entered the EC region of the cell based on one or moresignal measurements for the cell.

Example 54 is the method of Example 46, comprising determining that theEC-capable UE has entered the EC region of the cell based on adetermination that the EC-capable UE has entered the cell from an ECregion of a second cell.

Example 55 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to beingexecuted on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform amethod according to any of Examples 46 to 54.

Example 56 is an apparatus, comprising means for performing a methodaccording to any of Examples 46 to 54.

Example 57 is a system, comprising the apparatus of Example 56, and atleast one radio frequency (RF) transceiver.

Example 58 is the system of Example 57, comprising at least one RFantenna.

Example 59 is the system of Example 58, comprising a touchscreendisplay.

Example 60 is an apparatus, comprising means for receiving, at amobility management entity (MME), an S1 capability information messagecomprising an indication that user equipment (UE) is extended coverage(EC)-capable, means for sending an S1 paging message to instruct anevolved node B (eNB) to use an EC paging sequence to page the UE, andmeans for sending an S1 paging stop message to instruct the eNB toterminate the EC paging sequence in response to a determination that theUE has responded to paging.

Example 61 is the apparatus of Example 60, comprising means fordetermining that the UE has responded to paging based on receipt of anS1 message from a second eNB.

Example 62 is the apparatus of Example 61, the S1 message received fromthe second eNB to comprise an S1 INITIAL UE MESSAGE message.

Example 63 is the apparatus of Example 60, the S1 paging message tocomprise a UE identifier (ID) for the UE.

Example 64 is the apparatus of Example 60, the S1 paging message tocomprise an EC capability indicator to indicate that the UE isEC-capable.

Example 65 is the apparatus of Example 60, the S1 paging message tocomprise a parameter indicating that the EC paging sequence is to beused.

Example 66 is the apparatus of Example 65, the parameter to comprise arepetition count value indicating a same number of paging repetitions asare to be comprised in the EC paging sequence.

Example 67 is the apparatus of Example 65, the parameter to indicatethat the S1 paging message comprises a repeat attempt to reach the UE.

Example 68 is the apparatus of Example 67, the parameter to comprise apaging count value.

Example 69 is the apparatus of Example 67, the parameter to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 70 is the apparatus of Example 60, comprising means fordetermining to instruct the eNB to use the EC paging sequence to pagethe UE in response to a determination that the eNB serves a cell inwhich the UE was last known to be located.

Example 71 is the apparatus of Example 70, the S1 paging message tocomprise a cell global identity (CGI) value corresponding to the cell.

Example 72 is the apparatus of Example 70, the S1 paging message tocomprise an EC-mode (ECM) flag that is set to indicate that the ECpaging sequence is to be used to page the UE.

Example 73 is the apparatus of Example 72, comprising means for sendinga second S1 paging message to instruct a second eNB to use a shortpaging sequence to page the UE, the second S1 paging message to comprisean EC-mode flag that is set to indicate that the EC paging sequence isnot to be used to page the UE.

Example 74 is the apparatus of Example 60, comprising means forinstructing the eNB to use a short paging sequence to page the UE, andmeans for sending the S1 paging message to instruct the eNB to use theEC paging sequence to page the UE based on a determination that the UEhas not responded to paging during the short paging sequence.

Example 75 is the apparatus of Example 74, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of a single RRC paging message.

Example 76 is the apparatus of Example 74, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 77 is the apparatus of Example 74, comprising means forinstructing the eNB to use the short paging sequence to page the UE bysending an S1 paging message comprising a UE identifier (ID) for the UEand a parameter indicating that the short paging sequence is to be used.

Example 78 is the apparatus of Example 77, the parameter to comprise arepetition count value indicating a same number of paging repetitions asare to be comprised in the short paging sequence.

Example 79 is the apparatus of Example 77, the parameter to comprise anindication of an initial attempt to reach the UE.

Example 80 is the apparatus of Example 79, the parameter to comprise apaging count value.

Example 81 is the apparatus of Example 79, the parameter to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 82 is a system, comprising an apparatus according to any ofExamples 60 to 81, and at least one network interface.

Example 83 is an apparatus, comprising at least one memory, and logic,at least a portion of which is in hardware coupled to the at least onememory, the logic to send, from extended coverage (EC)-capable userequipment (UE) in a connected state, a capability information messagecomprising an EC capability indicator, transition the EC-capable UE intoan idle state, and in response to a determination that the EC-capable UEhas entered an EC region of a cell since transitioning into the idlestate, trigger a procedure to notify a serving evolved node B (eNB) ofthe cell that the EC-capable UE is located in the EC region of the cell.

Example 84 is the apparatus of Example 83, the capability informationmessage to comprise a radio resource control (RRC)UECapabilityInformation message.

Example 85 is the apparatus of Example 83, the EC-capable UE to comprisea limited-capability type (LCT) UE.

Example 86 is the apparatus of Example 85, the capability informationmessage to comprise the EC capability indicator and LCT information toindicate that the EC-capable UE comprises an LCT UE.

Example 87 is the apparatus of Example 86, the capability informationmessage to comprise a radio resource control (RRC)UECapabilityInformation message, the LCT information to comprise aCategory 0 indicator or a Category M indicator.

Example 88 is the apparatus of Example 83, the procedure to comprise aTracking Area Update procedure.

Example 89 is the apparatus of Example 83, the procedure to comprise aService Request procedure.

Example 90 is the apparatus of Example 83, the logic to determine thatthe EC-capable UE has entered the EC region of the cell based on one ormore signal measurements for the cell.

Example 91 is the apparatus of Example 83, the logic to determine thatthe EC-capable UE has entered the EC region of the cell based on adetermination that the EC-capable UE has entered the cell from an ECregion of a second cell.

Example 92 is a system, comprising an apparatus according to any ofExamples 83 to 91, and at least one radio frequency (RF) transceiver.

Example 93 is the system of Example 92, comprising at least one RFantenna.

Example 94 is the system of Example 93, comprising a touchscreendisplay.

Example 95 is a method, comprising receiving, at an evolved node B(eNB), an S1 paging message comprising a user equipment (UE) identifier(ID) associated with a UE, paging the UE, by a radio interface of theeNB, using an extended coverage (EC) paging sequence based on receipt ofthe S1 paging message and on a determination that the UE is EC-capable,the EC paging sequence comprising a series of transmissions of a radioresource control (RRC) paging message, and truncating the EC pagingsequence based on a determination that the UE has responded to RRCpaging.

Example 96 is the method of Example 95, comprising determining that theUE is EC-capable based on an EC capability indicator comprised in the S1paging message.

Example 97 is the method of Example 95, comprising paging the UE usingthe EC paging sequence based on the receipt of the S1 paging message,the determination that the UE is EC-capable, and a determination that anEC-mode (ECM) flag comprised in the S1 paging message is set to indicatethat the EC paging sequence is to be used to page the UE.

Example 98 is the method of Example 95, comprising selecting a number ofpaging repetitions to be comprised in the EC paging sequence based onone or more signal measurements comprised in the S1 paging message.

Example 99 is the method of Example 95, comprising identifying a numberof paging repetitions to be comprised in the EC paging sequence based ona repetition count value comprised in the S1 paging message.

Example 100 is the method of Example 95, comprising receiving a secondS1 paging message comprising a second UE ID associated with a second UE,determining that the second UE is EC-capable based on an EC capabilityindicator comprised in the second S1 paging message, and paging thesecond UE using a short paging sequence based on receipt of the secondS1 paging message and on a determination that an EC-mode (ECM) flagcomprised in the second S1 paging message is set to indicate that the ECpaging sequence is not to be used to page the second UE.

Example 101 is the method of Example 100, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of a single RRC paging message.

Example 102 is the method of Example 100, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 103 is the method of Example 95, comprising using the EC pagingsequence to page a paging group comprising the UE and one or moreadditional UEs, and truncating the EC paging sequence based on thedetermination that the UE has responded to the RRC paging message and ona determination that each of the one or more additional UEs have alsoresponded to RRC paging.

Example 104 is the method of Example 95, comprising determining that theUE has responded to RRC paging in response to receipt of anRRCConnectionRequest message or an RRCConnectionSetupComplete messagefrom the UE.

Example 105 is the method of Example 95, comprising determining that theUE has responded to RRC paging in response to receipt of an S1 INITIALCONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message from a mobility management entity (MME).

Example 106 is the method of Example 95, comprising determining that theUE has responded to RRC paging in response to receipt of an S1 PAGINGSTOP message from a mobility management entity (MME).

Example 107 is the method of Example 95, comprising paging the UE usinga short paging sequence in response to receipt of the S1 paging message,paging the UE using the EC paging sequence in response to receipt of asecond S1 paging message and the determination that the UE isEC-capable.

Example 108 is the method of Example 107, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of a single RRC paging message.

Example 109 is the method of Example 107, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 110 is the method of Example 107, comprising determining thatthe S1 paging message corresponds to an initial attempt to reach the UEbased on an indicator comprised in the S1 paging message, and paging theUE using the short paging sequence in response to receipt of the S1paging message and the determination that the S1 paging messagecorresponds to the initial attempt to reach the UE.

Example 111 is the method of Example 110, the indicator to comprise apaging count value.

Example 112 is the method of Example 110, the indicator to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 113 is the method of Example 107, comprising determining thatthe second S1 paging message corresponds to a repeat attempt to reachthe UE based on an indicator comprised in the second S1 paging message,and paging the UE using the EC paging sequence in response to receipt ofthe second S1 paging message and the determination that the second S1paging message corresponds to the repeat attempt to reach the UE.

Example 114 is the method of Example 113, the indicator to comprise apaging count value.

Example 115 is the method of Example 113, the indicator to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 116 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to beingexecuted on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform amethod according to any of Examples 95 to 115.

Example 117 is an apparatus, comprising means for performing a methodaccording to any of Examples 95 to 115.

Example 118 is a system, comprising the apparatus of Example 117, and atleast one radio frequency (RF) transceiver.

Example 119 is the system of Example 118, comprising at least one RFantenna.

Example 120 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to beingexecuted on a computing device, cause the computing device to send, fromextended coverage (EC)-capable user equipment (UE) in a connected state,a capability information message comprising an EC capability indicator,transition the EC-capable UE into an idle state, and in response to adetermination that the EC-capable UE has entered an EC region of a cellsince transitioning into the idle state, trigger a procedure to notify aserving evolved node B (eNB) of the cell that the EC-capable UE islocated in the EC region of the cell.

Example 121 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 120, the capability information message to comprise aradio resource control (RRC) UECapabilityInformation message.

Example 122 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 120, the EC-capable UE to comprise alimited-capability type (LCT) UE.

Example 123 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 122, the capability information message to comprisethe EC capability indicator and LCT information to indicate that theEC-capable UE comprises an LCT UE.

Example 124 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 123, the capability information message to comprise aradio resource control (RRC) UECapabilityInformation message, the LCTinformation to comprise a Category 0 indicator or a Category Mindicator.

Example 125 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 120, the procedure to comprise a Tracking Area Updateprocedure.

Example 126 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 120, the procedure to comprise a Service Requestprocedure.

Example 127 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 120, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the computing device, cause the computing device todetermine that the EC-capable UE has entered the EC region of the cellbased on one or more signal measurements for the cell.

Example 128 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 120, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the computing device, cause the computing device todetermine that the EC-capable UE has entered the EC region of the cellbased on a determination that the EC-capable UE has entered the cellfrom an EC region of a second cell.

Example 129 is an apparatus, comprising means for receiving, at anevolved node B (eNB), an S1 paging message comprising a user equipment(UE) identifier (ID) associated with a UE, means for paging the UE usingan extended coverage (EC) paging sequence based on receipt of the S1paging message and on a determination that the UE is EC-capable, the ECpaging sequence comprising a series of transmissions of a radio resourcecontrol (RRC) paging message, and means for truncating the EC pagingsequence based on a determination that the UE has responded to RRCpaging.

Example 130 is the apparatus of Example 129, comprising means fordetermining that the UE is EC-capable based on an EC capabilityindicator comprised in the S1 paging message.

Example 131 is the apparatus of Example 129, comprising means for pagingthe UE using the EC paging sequence based on the receipt of the S1paging message, the determination that the UE is EC-capable, and adetermination that an EC-mode (ECM) flag comprised in the S1 pagingmessage is set to indicate that the EC paging sequence is to be used topage the UE.

Example 132 is the apparatus of Example 129, comprising means forselecting a number of paging repetitions to be comprised in the ECpaging sequence based on one or more signal measurements comprised inthe S1 paging message.

Example 133 is the apparatus of Example 129, comprising means foridentifying a number of paging repetitions to be comprised in the ECpaging sequence based on a repetition count value comprised in the S1paging message.

Example 134 is the apparatus of Example 129, comprising means forreceiving a second S1 paging message comprising a second UE IDassociated with a second UE, means for determining that the second UE isEC-capable based on an EC capability indicator comprised in the secondS1 paging message, and means for paging the second UE using a shortpaging sequence based on receipt of the second S1 paging message and ona determination that an EC-mode (ECM) flag comprised in the second S1paging message is set to indicate that the EC paging sequence is not tobe used to page the second UE.

Example 135 is the apparatus of Example 134, the short paging sequenceto comprise transmission of a single RRC paging message.

Example 136 is the apparatus of Example 134, the short paging sequenceto comprise transmission of two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 137 is the apparatus of Example 129, comprising means for usingthe EC paging sequence to page a paging group comprising the UE and oneor more additional UEs, and means for truncating the EC paging sequencebased on the determination that the UE has responded to the RRC pagingmessage and on a determination that each of the one or more additionalUEs have also responded to RRC paging.

Example 138 is the apparatus of Example 129, comprising means fordetermining that the UE has responded to RRC paging in response toreceipt of an RRCConnectionRequest message or anRRCConnectionSetupComplete message from the UE.

Example 139 is the apparatus of Example 129, comprising means fordetermining that the UE has responded to RRC paging in response toreceipt of an S1 INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message from a mobilitymanagement entity (MME).

Example 140 is the apparatus of Example 129, comprising means fordetermining that the UE has responded to RRC paging in response toreceipt of an S1 PAGING STOP message from a mobility management entity(MME).

Example 141 is the apparatus of Example 129, comprising means for pagingthe UE using a short paging sequence in response to receipt of the S1paging message, means for paging the UE using the EC paging sequence inresponse to receipt of a second S1 paging message and the determinationthat the UE is EC-capable.

Example 142 is the apparatus of Example 141, the short paging sequenceto comprise transmission of a single RRC paging message.

Example 143 is the apparatus of Example 141, the short paging sequenceto comprise transmission of two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 144 is the apparatus of Example 141, comprising means fordetermining that the S1 paging message corresponds to an initial attemptto reach the UE based on an indicator comprised in the S1 pagingmessage, and means for paging the UE using the short paging sequence inresponse to receipt of the S1 paging message and the determination thatthe S1 paging message corresponds to the initial attempt to reach theUE.

Example 145 is the apparatus of Example 144, the indicator to comprise apaging count value.

Example 146 is the apparatus of Example 144, the indicator to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 147 is the apparatus of Example 141, comprising means fordetermining that the second S1 paging message corresponds to a repeatattempt to reach the UE based on an indicator comprised in the second S1paging message, and means for paging the UE using the EC paging sequencein response to receipt of the second S1 paging message and thedetermination that the second S1 paging message corresponds to therepeat attempt to reach the UE.

Example 148 is the apparatus of Example 147, the indicator to comprise apaging count value.

Example 149 is the apparatus of Example 147, the indicator to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 150 is a system, comprising an apparatus according to any ofExamples 129 to 149, and at least one radio frequency (RF) transceiver.

Example 151 is the system of Example 150, comprising at least one RFantenna.

Example 152 is an apparatus, comprising at least one memory, and logicfor a mobility management entity (MME), at least a portion of the logiccomprised in hardware coupled to the at least one memory, the logic toreceive an S1 capability information message comprising an indicationthat user equipment (UE) is extended coverage (EC)-capable, send an S1paging message to instruct an evolved node B (eNB) to use an EC pagingsequence to page the UE, and in response to a determination that the UEhas responded to paging, send an S1 paging stop message to instruct theeNB to terminate the EC paging sequence.

Example 153 is the apparatus of Example 152, the logic to determine thatthe UE has responded to paging based on receipt of an S1 message from asecond eNB.

Example 154 is the apparatus of Example 153, the S1 message receivedfrom the second eNB to comprise an S1 INITIAL UE MESSAGE message.

Example 155 is the apparatus of Example 152, the S1 paging message tocomprise a UE identifier (ID) for the UE.

Example 156 is the apparatus of Example 152, the S1 paging message tocomprise an EC capability indicator to indicate that the UE isEC-capable.

Example 157 is the apparatus of Example 152, the S1 paging message tocomprise a parameter indicating that the EC paging sequence is to beused.

Example 158 is the apparatus of Example 157, the parameter to comprise arepetition count value indicating a same number of paging repetitions asare to be comprised in the EC paging sequence.

Example 159 is the apparatus of Example 157, the parameter to indicatethat the S1 paging message comprises a repeat attempt to reach the UE.

Example 160 is the apparatus of Example 159, the parameter to comprise apaging count value.

Example 161 is the apparatus of Example 159, the parameter to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 162 is the apparatus of Example 152, the logic to determine toinstruct the eNB to use the EC paging sequence to page the UE inresponse to a determination that the eNB serves a cell in which the UEwas last known to be located.

Example 163 is the apparatus of Example 162, the S1 paging message tocomprise a cell global identity (CGI) value corresponding to the cell.

Example 164 is the apparatus of Example 162, the S1 paging message tocomprise an EC-mode (ECM) flag that is set to indicate that the ECpaging sequence is to be used to page the UE.

Example 165 is the apparatus of Example 164, the logic to send a secondS1 paging message to instruct a second eNB to use a short pagingsequence to page the UE, the second S1 paging message to comprise anEC-mode flag that is set to indicate that the EC paging sequence is notto be used to page the UE.

Example 166 is the apparatus of Example 152, the logic to instruct theeNB to use a short paging sequence to page the UE, and based on adetermination that the UE has not responded to paging during the shortpaging sequence, send the S1 paging message to instruct the eNB to usethe EC paging sequence to page the UE.

Example 167 is the apparatus of Example 166, the short paging sequenceto comprise transmission of a single RRC paging message.

Example 168 is the apparatus of Example 166, the short paging sequenceto comprise transmission of two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 169 is the apparatus of Example 166, the logic to instruct theeNB to use the short paging sequence to page the UE by sending an S1paging message comprising a UE identifier (ID) for the UE and aparameter indicating that the short paging sequence is to be used.

Example 170 is the apparatus of Example 169, the parameter to comprise arepetition count value indicating a same number of paging repetitions asare to be comprised in the short paging sequence.

Example 171 is the apparatus of Example 169, the parameter to comprisean indication of an initial attempt to reach the UE.

Example 172 is the apparatus of Example 171, the parameter to comprise apaging count value.

Example 173 is the apparatus of Example 171, the parameter to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 174 is a system, comprising an apparatus according to any ofExamples 152 to 173, and at least one network interface.

Example 175 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to beingexecuted at an evolved node B (eNB), cause the eNB to receive an S1paging message comprising a user equipment (UE) identifier (ID)associated with a UE, page the UE using an extended coverage (EC) pagingsequence based on receipt of the S1 paging message and on adetermination that the UE is EC-capable, the EC paging sequencecomprising a series of transmissions of a radio resource control (RRC)paging message, and truncate the EC paging sequence based on adetermination that the UE has responded to RRC paging.

Example 176 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 175, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to determine that the UE isEC-capable based on an EC capability indicator comprised in the S1paging message.

Example 177 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 175, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to page the UE using the ECpaging sequence based on the receipt of the S1 paging message, thedetermination that the UE is EC-capable, and a determination that anEC-mode (ECM) flag comprised in the S1 paging message is set to indicatethat the EC paging sequence is to be used to page the UE.

Example 178 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 175, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to select a number of pagingrepetitions to be comprised in the EC paging sequence based on one ormore signal measurements comprised in the S1 paging message.

Example 179 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 175, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to identify a number of pagingrepetitions to be comprised in the EC paging sequence based on arepetition count value comprised in the S1 paging message.

Example 180 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 175, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to receive a second S1 pagingmessage comprising a second UE ID associated with a second UE, determinethat the second UE is EC-capable based on an EC capability indicatorcomprised in the second S1 paging message, and page the second UE usinga short paging sequence based on receipt of the second S1 paging messageand on a determination that an EC-mode (ECM) flag comprised in thesecond S1 paging message is set to indicate that the EC paging sequenceis not to be used to page the second UE.

Example 181 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 180, the short paging sequence to comprisetransmission of a single RRC paging message.

Example 182 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 180, the short paging sequence to comprisetransmission of two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 183 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 175, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to use the EC paging sequenceto page a paging group comprising the UE and one or more additional UEs,and truncate the EC paging sequence based on the determination that theUE has responded to the RRC paging message and on a determination thateach of the one or more additional UEs have also responded to RRCpaging.

Example 184 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 175, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to determine that the UE hasresponded to RRC paging in response to receipt of anRRCConnectionRequest message or an RRCConnectionSetupComplete messagefrom the UE.

Example 185 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 175, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to determine that the UE hasresponded to RRC paging in response to receipt of an S1 INITIAL CONTEXTSETUP REQUEST message from a mobility management entity (MME).

Example 186 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 175, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to determine that the UE hasresponded to RRC paging in response to receipt of an S1 PAGING STOPmessage from a mobility management entity (MME).

Example 187 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 175, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to page the UE using a shortpaging sequence in response to receipt of the S1 paging message, andpage the UE using the EC paging sequence in response to receipt of asecond S1 paging message and the determination that the UE isEC-capable.

Example 188 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 187, the short paging sequence to comprisetransmission of a single RRC paging message.

Example 189 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 187, the short paging sequence to comprisetransmission of two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 190 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 187, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to determine that the S1 pagingmessage corresponds to an initial attempt to reach the UE based on anindicator comprised in the S1 paging message, and page the UE using theshort paging sequence in response to receipt of the S1 paging messageand the determination that the S1 paging message corresponds to theinitial attempt to reach the UE.

Example 191 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 190, the indicator to comprise a paging count value.

Example 192 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 190, the indicator to comprise a single-bit indicator.

Example 193 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 187, comprising instructions that, in response tobeing executed at the eNB, cause the eNB to determine that the second S1paging message corresponds to a repeat attempt to reach the UE based onan indicator comprised in the second S1 paging message, and page the UEusing the EC paging sequence in response to receipt of the second S1paging message and the determination that the second S1 paging messagecorresponds to the repeat attempt to reach the UE.

Example 194 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 193, the indicator to comprise a paging count value.

Example 195 is the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 193, the indicator to comprise a single-bit indicator.

Example 196 is a method, comprising receiving, at a mobility managemententity (MME), an S1 capability information message comprising anindication that user equipment (UE) is extended coverage (EC)-capable,sending an S1 paging message to instruct an evolved node B (eNB) to usean EC paging sequence to page the UE, and in response to adetermination, by processing circuitry at the MME, that the UE hasresponded to paging, sending an S1 paging stop message to instruct theeNB to terminate the EC paging sequence.

Example 197 is the method of Example 196, comprising determining thatthe UE has responded to paging based on receipt of an S1 message from asecond eNB.

Example 198 is the method of Example 197, the S1 message received fromthe second eNB to comprise an S1 INITIAL UE MESSAGE message.

Example 199 is the method of Example 196, the S1 paging message tocomprise a UE identifier (ID) for the UE.

Example 200 is the method of Example 196, the S1 paging message tocomprise an EC capability indicator to indicate that the UE isEC-capable.

Example 201 is the method of Example 196, the S1 paging message tocomprise a parameter indicating that the EC paging sequence is to beused.

Example 202 is the method of Example 201, the parameter to comprise arepetition count value indicating a same number of paging repetitions asare to be comprised in the EC paging sequence.

Example 203 is the method of Example 201, the parameter to indicate thatthe S1 paging message comprises a repeat attempt to reach the UE.

Example 204 is the method of Example 203, the parameter to comprise apaging count value.

Example 205 is the method of Example 203, the parameter to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 206 is the method of Example 196, comprising determining toinstruct the eNB to use the EC paging sequence to page the UE inresponse to a determination that the eNB serves a cell in which the UEwas last known to be located.

Example 207 is the method of Example 206, the S1 paging message tocomprise a cell global identity (CGI) value corresponding to the cell.

Example 208 is the method of Example 206, the S1 paging message tocomprise an EC-mode (ECM) flag that is set to indicate that the ECpaging sequence is to be used to page the UE.

Example 209 is the method of Example 208, comprising sending a second S1paging message to instruct a second eNB to use a short paging sequenceto page the UE, the second S1 paging message to comprise an EC-mode flagthat is set to indicate that the EC paging sequence is not to be used topage the UE.

Example 210 is the method of Example 196, comprising instructing the eNBto use a short paging sequence to page the UE, and based on adetermination that the UE has not responded to paging during the shortpaging sequence, sending the S1 paging message to instruct the eNB touse the EC paging sequence to page the UE.

Example 211 is the method of Example 210, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of a single RRC paging message.

Example 212 is the method of Example 210, the short paging sequence tocomprise transmission of two or three RRC paging messages.

Example 213 is the method of Example 210, comprising instructing the eNBto use the short paging sequence to page the UE by sending an S1 pagingmessage comprising a UE identifier (ID) for the UE and a parameterindicating that the short paging sequence is to be used.

Example 214 is the method of Example 213, the parameter to comprise arepetition count value indicating a same number of paging repetitions asare to be comprised in the short paging sequence.

Example 215 is the method of Example 213, the parameter to comprise anindication of an initial attempt to reach the UE.

Example 216 is the method of Example 215, the parameter to comprise apaging count value.

Example 217 is the method of Example 215, the parameter to comprise asingle-bit indicator.

Example 218 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to beingexecuted on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform amethod according to any of Examples 196 to 217.

Example 219 is an apparatus, comprising means for performing a methodaccording to any of Examples 196 to 217.

Example 220 is a system, comprising the apparatus of Example 219, and atleast one radio frequency (RF) transceiver.

Example 221 is the system of Example 220, comprising at least one RFantenna.

Example 222 is an apparatus, comprising means for sending, from extendedcoverage (EC)-capable user equipment (UE) in a connected state, acapability information message comprising an EC capability indicator,means for transitioning the EC-capable UE into an idle state, and meansfor triggering a procedure to notify a serving evolved node B (eNB) ofthe cell that the EC-capable UE is located in the EC region of the cellin response to a determination that the EC-capable UE has entered an ECregion of a cell since transitioning into the idle state.

Example 223 is the apparatus of Example 222, the capability informationmessage to comprise a radio resource control (RRC)UECapabilityInformation message.

Example 224 is the apparatus of Example 222, the EC-capable UE tocomprise a limited-capability type (LCT) UE.

Example 225 is the apparatus of Example 224, the capability informationmessage to comprise the EC capability indicator and LCT information toindicate that the EC-capable UE comprises an LCT UE.

Example 226 is the apparatus of Example 225, the capability informationmessage to comprise a radio resource control (RRC)UECapabilityInformation message, the LCT information to comprise aCategory 0 indicator or a Category M indicator.

Example 227 is the apparatus of Example 222, the procedure to comprise aTracking Area Update procedure.

Example 228 is the apparatus of Example 222, the procedure to comprise aService Request procedure.

Example 229 is the apparatus of Example 222, comprising means fordetermining that the EC-capable UE has entered the EC region of the cellbased on one or more signal measurements for the cell.

Example 230 is the apparatus of Example 222, comprising means fordetermining that the EC-capable UE has entered the EC region of the cellbased on a determination that the EC-capable UE has entered the cellfrom an EC region of a second cell.

Example 231 is a system, comprising an apparatus according to any ofExamples 222 to 230, and at least one radio frequency (RF) transceiver.

Example 232 is the system of Example 231, comprising at least one RFantenna.

Example 233 is the system of Example 232, comprising a touchscreendisplay.

Numerous specific details have been set forth herein to provide athorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be understood bythose skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments may be practicedwithout these specific details. In other instances, well-knownoperations, components, and circuits have not been described in detailso as not to obscure the embodiments. It can be appreciated that thespecific structural and functional details disclosed herein may berepresentative and do not necessarily limit the scope of theembodiments.

Some embodiments may be described using the expression “coupled” and“connected” along with their derivatives. These terms are not intendedas synonyms for each other. For example, some embodiments may bedescribed using the terms “connected” and/or “coupled” to indicate thattwo or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact witheach other. The term “coupled,” however, may also mean that two or moreelements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet stillco-operate or interact with each other.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, it may be appreciated that termssuch as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” or thelike, refer to the action and/or processes of a computer or computingsystem, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and/ortransforms data represented as physical quantities (e.g., electronic)within the computing system's registers and/or memories into other datasimilarly represented as physical quantities within the computingsystem's memories, registers or other such information storage,transmission or display devices. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

It should be noted that the methods described herein do not have to beexecuted in the order described, or in any particular order. Moreover,various activities described with respect to the methods identifiedherein can be executed in serial or parallel fashion.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement calculated toachieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodimentsshown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations orvariations of various embodiments. It is to be understood that the abovedescription has been made in an illustrative fashion, and not arestrictive one. Combinations of the above embodiments, and otherembodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to thoseof skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Thus, thescope of various embodiments includes any other applications in whichthe above compositions, structures, and methods are used.

It is emphasized that the Abstract of the Disclosure is provided tocomply with 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b), requiring an abstract that will allowthe reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure.It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used tointerpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, inthe foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various featuresare grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose ofstreamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to beinterpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodimentsrequire more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather,as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in lessthan all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the followingclaims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with eachclaim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment. In theappended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as theplain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and“wherein,” respectively. Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” and“third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to imposenumerical requirements on their objects.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed asexample forms of implementing the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: at least one memory;and logic for an evolved node B (eNB), at least a portion of the logiccomprised in hardware coupled to the at least one memory, the logic to:receive an S1 paging message comprising a user equipment (UE) identifier(ID) associated with a UE and an extended coverage (EC) capabilityindicator indicating that the UE is EC-capable; page the UE using an ECpaging sequence based on receipt of the S1 paging message, the EC pagingsequence to comprise a series of transmissions of a radio resourcecontrol (RRC) paging message; and truncate the EC paging sequence basedon a determination that the UE has responded to RRC paging.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, the logic to page the UE using the EC pagingsequence in response to a determination that an EC-mode (ECM) flagcomprised in the S1 paging message is set to indicate that the EC pagingsequence is to be used to page the UE.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, thelogic to page the UE using the EC paging sequence in response to adetermination that a paging count value comprised in the S1 pagingmessage indicates that the S1 paging message corresponds to a repeatattempt to reach the UE.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, the logic toidentify a number of paging repetitions to be comprised in the EC pagingsequence based on a repetition count value comprised in the S1 pagingmessage.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, the logic to determine that the UEhas responded to RRC paging in response to receipt of anRRCConnectionRequest message or an RRCConnectionSetupComplete messagefrom the UE.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, the logic to determine thatthe UE has responded to RRC paging in response to receipt of an S1INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message from a mobility management entity(MME).
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, the logic to determine that the UEhas responded to RRC paging in response to receipt of an S1 PAGING STOPmessage from a mobility management entity (MME).
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 1, the logic to: receive a second S1 paging message comprising asecond UE ID associated with a second UE and an EC capability indicatorindicating that the second UE is EC-capable; page the second UE using ashort paging sequence in response to: a determination that a pagingcount value comprised in the second S1 paging message indicates that thesecond S1 paging message corresponds to an initial attempt to reach thesecond UE; or a determination that an EC-mode (ECM) flag comprised inthe second S1 paging message is set to indicate that the EC pagingsequence is not to be used to page the second UE.
 9. A system,comprising: the apparatus of claim 1; and at least one radio frequency(RF) transceiver.
 10. An apparatus, comprising: at least one memory; andlogic for a mobility management entity (MME), at least a portion of thelogic comprised in hardware coupled to the at least one memory, thelogic to: receive an S1 capability information message comprising anindication that user equipment (UE) is extended coverage (EC)-capable;send an S1 paging message to instruct an evolved node B (eNB) to use anEC paging sequence to page the UE; and in response to a determinationthat the UE has responded to paging, send an S1 paging stop message toinstruct the eNB to terminate the EC paging sequence.
 11. The apparatusof claim 10, the logic to determine that the UE has responded to pagingbased on receipt of an S1 message from a second eNB.
 12. The apparatusof claim 10, the S1 paging message to comprise a parameter indicatingthat the EC paging sequence is to be used.
 13. The apparatus of claim12, the parameter to indicate that the S1 paging message comprises arepeat attempt to reach the UE.
 14. The apparatus of claim 10, the logicto determine to instruct the eNB to use the EC paging sequence to pagethe UE in response to a determination that the eNB serves a cell inwhich the UE was last known to be located.
 15. The apparatus of claim14, the S1 paging message to comprise an EC-mode (ECM) flag that is setto indicate that the EC paging sequence is to be used to page the UE.16. The apparatus of claim 15, the logic to send a second S1 pagingmessage to instruct a second eNB to use a short paging sequence to pagethe UE, the second S1 paging message to comprise an EC-mode flag that isset to indicate that the EC paging sequence is not to be used to pagethe UE.
 17. The apparatus of claim 10, the logic to: instruct the eNB touse a short paging sequence to page the UE; and based on a determinationthat the UE has not responded to paging during the short pagingsequence, send the S1 paging message to instruct the eNB to use the ECpaging sequence to page the UE.
 18. An apparatus, comprising: at leastone memory; and logic, at least a portion of which is in hardwarecoupled to the at least one memory, the logic to: send, from extendedcoverage (EC)-capable user equipment (UE) in a connected mode, acapability information message comprising an EC capability indicator;transition the EC-capable UE into an idle mode; and in response to adetermination that the EC-capable UE has entered an EC region of a cellsince transitioning into the idle mode, trigger a procedure to notify aserving evolved node B (eNB) of the cell that the EC-capable UE islocated in the EC region of the cell.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, thecapability information message to comprise a radio resource control(RRC) UECapabilitylnformation message.
 20. The apparatus of claim 18,the EC-capable UE to comprise a limited-capability type (LCT) UE. 21.The apparatus of claim 20, the capability information message tocomprise the EC capability indicator and LCT information to indicatethat the EC-capable UE comprises an LCT UE.
 22. The apparatus of claim21, the capability information message to comprise a radio resourcecontrol (RRC) UECapabilitylnformation message, the LCT information tocomprise a Category 0 indicator or a Category M indicator.
 23. Theapparatus of claim 18, the procedure to comprise a Tracking Area Updateprocedure or a Service Request procedure.
 24. The apparatus of claim 18,the logic to determine that the EC-capable UE has entered the EC regionof the cell based on one or more signal measurements for the cell. 25.The apparatus of claim 18, the logic to determine that the EC-capable UEhas entered the EC region of the cell based on a determination that theEC-capable UE has entered the cell from an EC region of a second cell.